Written by Pat Christian, Vice-President, Evangelicals for Life
Wife of Rev Bruce Christian, Rose Bay Presbyterian Church
In the recent school holidays, I took our profoundly disabled seven-and-a-half-year-old grandson, Luke, to Manly. He had just become the proud owner of a flash new wheelchair and this was my test run of it on the bus and ferry. Luke is unable to sit or stand on his own, and cannot communicate verbally.
On our return trip, we were sitting outside to get the full effect of the swell, crossing inside the heads. I had been chatting a little with the young man next to me, and as we crossed the heads and the ferry rose and fell, Luke showed very obvious delight as our eyes were on a level with the water, and then were way above it then down again. Seeing my equally obvious pleasure at Luke’s reaction and my one-sided discussion with him about the waves, my new acquaintance began to tell me about his 3 month old baby daughter who has Down Syndrome. She had just undergone successful heart surgery, but I hope you will see from this story that the more necessary “heart surgery” is for the other people involved with these young parents.
During the mother’s longed-for pregnancy a heart defect had been detected and she had been given a test for possible Down Syndrome. After some anxious waiting they were told that the baby was normal, but a couple of weeks later, after further testing, Down Syndrome was diagnosed. Their reaction was one of grief, as one would expect, but they did not want to “lose” their baby. The reaction of their friends was very hurtful – an unthinking assumption that they would abort the child, as one would throw out the rubbish.
However, it was the reaction of medical personnel that was the most callous. By this time the mother was 22 weeks pregnant – just one week before all stops are pulled out to save premature babies. By this time also a death certificate is required – that is a “real” person. There was only the assumption yet again that they would “terminate the pregnancy” – what a euphemism for such a cruel death. Imagine how these two young people must have felt – a long-awaited pregnancy … does she have Down Syndrome … no, she doesn’t … yes, she does … – and they have very little time to come to terms with all this because of the expectations of the doctors that of course she would terminate immediately … and then it would all be over. The final straw for the father was the doctor asking him if they wanted the baby to take a breath or not. What a question to ask someone in such a vulnerable position! There was no support here for parents – no suggestion that “if you do decide to continue with this pregnancy we will support you all the way.” There was certainly not even a hint that a child with Down Syndrome could have a life worth living. We can thank God that these two young parents knew that their child was a life worth keeping. Already in her short life she has brought them great pleasure and worked her little way into their hearts.
What does this episode tell us about our society, particularly the generally accepted attitude of our medical profession? It doesn’t show them as having any respect for the life of the unborn child; no thought that “[God] created [their] inmost being”; or that they were “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:13, 14). The Bible makes it clear that God made us – He “knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13) – but it also challenges us with: “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or dumb? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord?” (Exodus 4:11).
How arrogant we are, as a society, to think that people with a disability are somehow less worthy of life than those who are “normal”, and that we should do whatever is necessary to prevent their birth. How much these little ones have to offer, not only showing God’s power to create all people as He sees fit, but also showing how He can work in the life of every individual to bring glory to Himself.