Celebrity Moms Who Have Kids with Down Syndrome

We are living in an era that celebrates diversity, and these famous mothers are using their platforms to change the narrative about Down syndrome.

Social media has brought the best and the worst of humanity to the surface. We often hear that celebrities are shallow or indifferent, but if we know where to look at, we can find some of them that are using their social media influence and life example to change paradigms for the better.

As writer Ellen Stumbo from The Mighty puts it, things have changed a lot in the last decade regarding the visibility of children and adults with Down syndrome when it comes to mainstream culture.

For Stumbo, it is social media what made an entire difference, with mothers of children with this condition sharing positive parenting experience and exchanging advice and useful information.

Celebrities have great power and with it, a great responsibility in helping bring about social change, and these women are out there making the most out of their life stories.

But it is not only the parents of people with this condition that are out there changing the world. Nowadays we can cite people with Down Syndrome who have made history themselves by following their passions and shattering notions about what they can and what they cannot do.

SALLY PHILLIPS

The 50-year-old English actress and comedian is the mother of 14-year-old Olly. Phillips has devoted herself to advocate for children with Down syndrome or any form of intellectual disability since giving birth to Olly.

The “Bridget Jones’ Diary” star is an activist for inclusive education and social integration, and shared her thoughts and investigation on these issues in her 2016 book “A World Without Down Syndrome.”

CATERINA SCORSONE

The Canadian-born “Grey’s Anatomy” star has a cute baby daughter named Paloma that is always present in the 37-year-old actress’ social media feed.

Scorsone has made an effort to change the discourse around Down Syndrome, focusing on diversity instead of on disability, and trying to use her example to remove the negative stigma from this condition.

AMANDA BOOTH

The model and actress known for her roles in “Community” and “Animal Kingdom” has a son named Micah that was born with Down syndrome, which has inspired her to become an advocate for the welfare of people like her son.

The 33-year-old is set out to defy the stereotypes surrounding intellectual disability (Micah has been diagnosed with both Down syndrome and autism), with her social media activity playing an important role in her campaign.

JOEY FEEK

After his wife passed away in 2016 aged 40 after battling cancer for two years, 54-year-old country singer Rory Feek, who used to perform as a duo with her, kept posting images and celebrating the achievements of their 5-year-old daughter Indiana, who was born with Down syndrome.

LISA GUNGOR

Musician husband and wife Michael and Lisa Gungor not only share a band together but they also have a daughter with Down syndrome named Lucette. Not only does Lisa always proudly posts about her daughter, but they have also released a song in her honor titled “Light.”

JULIE NEWMAR

Most famous for playing “Catwoman” in the 1960s’ televised version of “Batman,” the 85-year-old actress has a 38-year-old son with Down syndrome named John, and she wouldn’t imagine her life without having had him.

MARIA DOYLE KENNEDY

The 54-year-old Irish actress famous outside of her home country for her work on “The Tudors” is also mother of an adult son with Down syndrome. On her debut short film as writer and director “A Different Kind of Day” (2017), Kennedy cast her son Daniel as one of the lead stars.

STARS ON THEIR OWN RIGHT

But it is not only the parents of people with this condition that are out there changing the world. Nowadays we can cite people with Down Syndrome who have made history themselves by following their passions and shattering notions about what they can and what they cannot do.

People like fashion designer Isabelle Springmühl, actress Jamie Brewer, and Spanish-born Pablo Pineda, an actor, teacher, and the first European with Down syndrome to obtain a degree, are today reference to any parent or person born with this condition that has all the potential in the world.