At the time, Joseph Fletcher specialized in researching moral, legal and ethical issues specific to healthcare. He was an American professor-and the first professor of medical ethics

Founded: Theory of situational ethics in the 1960s and his work significantly influenced discussions surrounding: Abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, cloning, and eugenics,

As recently as

56 Years ago
Medical ethicist

I know Down syndrome from a completely different perspective. I am a mother to a son with Mosaic Down syndrome. What is exceptional.

What is Down syndrome

Over 6,000 born children were born in the United States last year; 1 in 700 babies

You have 23 pairs of chromosomes in every cell of your body, 46 in total.

Alec has one more than you do- 47 chromosomes and so does everyone else like him.

We only learned about this extra chromosome 66 years ago. Dr. Jerome Lejune- devoted his life to improving the lives of those like Alec who are born with the extra chromosome

Never his intention that his discoveries would lead to the test that would prevent the lives he devoted his life to.


All lives matter- Alec's life matters

Success stories

Swimmer- Swam the English Channel

Old and outdated data

Pregnancies with the extra chromosome are being terminated.

Medical model vs. Advocacy Model

Gap in our communities

Story- Patient