Fifty mothers whose children have Down’s Syndrome have recorded a touching carpool karaoke-style video to raise awareness of children with an extra chromosome.
The mums, part of the Facebook group Designer Genes, were inspired after seeing another carpool karaoke video which was signed with Makaton.
Makaton, a simplified form of British Sign Language, is designed to help hearing people with learning or communication difficulties using signs alongside speech.
Mothers from all over the UK, decided to replicate the idea with their children, who also have an extra chromosome, for World Down Syndrome Day on March 21.
The group of proud parents says they have been told across the media in the last year that “children like theirs would be better off ‘screened out’”.
In the video, the 50 mums and their children can be seen doing Makaton to multiplatinum hit, A Thousand Years by Christina Perri.
Becky Carless, 35, from Coventry is the mum who came up with the idea for the video – 50 Mums, 50 Kids, 1 Extra Chromosome – which has been months in the making.
The group thinks it could become a worldwide hit and hope it will be aired on the likes of the Ellen DeGeneres show in the USA.
Becky and her son Archie four took part in the video.
She said: “We believe this video really does have the potential to be the most viewed across the world on World Down Syndrome Day this year.
“We urge everyone to share share share to help us make it a success.”
Becky, who is also mum to Zachary, eight and Bethany, 21, added: “When I had the vision for the video and put it forward everyone loved it.
“It’s really special because we don’t all know each other because we are from all over the country, but now we feel like we do.
“We have all cried a lot since the video went live. We have such a sense of pride to show people our children are just like everyone else.
“The video dispels a lot of myths about Down’s syndrome. You can see from the video our children don’t all look the same.
“They share characteristics but they look like their parents.”
The group reached out to Christina Perri’s husband, Paul Costabile, on Twitter to ask if they could use the song.
Within an hour, the LA-based couple declared their heartfelt support for the idea, committing their multi-million social media following and waiving any copyright claim to the music in support of the campaign.
Paul Costabile even went on to declare that he is a life-long advocate of children with special needs, in particular, Down Syndromed (also known as Down’s Syndrome.)
He told the group about his production of the film, More Alike Than Different, for World Down Syndrome Day in 2015.
The tear-jerker film is said to visualise “every conceivable message about disability, diversity and inclusion without having to say a word”.
