Beautiful Toddler With Down Syndrome Takes the World by Storm; Prestigious Modeling Firm Selects Her From Thousands of Applicants

Teresa Neumann-Commentary : Nov 30, 2011
Frances Hardy - The Daily Mail

"With Taya you get the whole package: she has her difficulties, but she is clever, strong and she laughs all the time. She has such an expressive little face. People say, 'Don't you wish she was a normal child?" but without her disability she wouldn't be Taya, so we wouldn't change anything about her.'" -Gemma Kennedy

(United Kingdom)—Last week, when a major newspaper announced that doctors are now able to screen babies in the womb for Down's Syndrome with a simple blood test developed by healthcare company Sequenom, I felt sick, knowing how many women—given the easy option—would choose to abort their babies.

Indeed, Paul Root Wolpe, director of the Center for Ethics at Emory University, told the New York Post, "What you end up having is a world without people with Down's Syndrome. And the question becomes, 'Is that a good thing or a bad thing?'"

Excuse me? To even pose the question seems diabolical. It smells of Hitler; eugenics, a master race... But then came two new reports this last week that I pray get viral coverage.

The first was a moving Thanksgiving Tribute from former Alaska governor Sarah Palin to her son Trig, who was born with Down Syndrome. In her tribute, Palin wrote:

"I am thankful that, as in so many areas of life, the bitter people who say bitter things about someone facing challenges are so outnumbered. There have been stinging criticisms, even from people still screaming that Trig should never have been born, but we know those critics may be the loudest and most malicious, but they're not the majority. (Photo: US4palin)

"To me, when individuals reflect the greater societal acceptance of someone facing challenges, they show the best of humanity—even by offering a simple pat on Trig's head or a knowing smile shot our way. Conversely, when a society works to eliminate the "weakest links" (as some would callously consider the disabled) or "the unproductive" (as some would callously consider the very young and the very old), it eliminates the very best of itself. When a society seeks to destroy them, it also destroys any ability or need for sincere compassion, empathy, improvement, and even goodwill. And those are the very best qualities of humanity! Those are the characteristics of a country that understands and embraces true hope! America can be compassionate and strong enough as a nation to be entrusted with those who some see as an "inconvenience," but who are really our greatest blessings. Through Trig, I see firsthand that there is man's standard of perfection, and then there is God's. Man's standard is flawed, temporary, and shallow. God's standard lasts an eternity. At the end of the day, His is what matters."

Then, on the heels of Palin's tribute to Trig, came a report from the U.K. about a modeling agency whose Down Syndrome baby model is "taking the world by storm." According to the Daily Mail report, 14-month-old Taya Kennedy was selected to model for the prestigious Urban Angles, not to fill a quota, but because she is "quite simply a star." (Photo by: Bruce Adams/Daily Mail)

"We only open our books twice a year and select just a few new children each season," said Alysia Lewis, owner of Urban Angels. "The standard is high, the desire for places strong. Taya is one of 50 children we chose from 2,000 applicants."

Taya's mother, Gemma, was reported to have reminded the agency that her daughter had Down Syndrome when they called with the good news. Their response? "It's immaterial. We've accepted her."

Gemma who, along with her husband had decided not to have her unborn baby tested for Down's because they had "resolved to love whatever child they were blessed with," also commented on the negative prognostications people gave her; basically a list of things her daughter would never be able to do.

"It was so dispiriting," she said. "I was told her teeth would not all develop. But already she has seven baby teeth. I was warned she would be slow to speak, but she already says, 'dad, mum, nana, cat and ta.' So now I take no notice of what the experts say."

Please, dear readers, if you know a parent struggling with the fear of having a Down Syndrome child, share this report with them.