Proposed “Chloe’s Law” in Pennsylvania on Down Syndrome Will Save Lives

From Pennsylvania Family Institute

 Prenatal testing has been a positive advancement for health care in many instances but can be damaging when not enough information is given to the expectant parents. Currently, prenatal testing allows for the diagnosis of a child with Down Syndrome. For this reason, 90% of diagnosed babies are aborted.
 

Kurt Kondrich, father of Chloe, a vibrant girl with Down Syndrome, has a solution for this problem. He, along with Pennsylvania legislators, has proposed "Chloe's Law" - a bill that would simply require additional information to be given to parents and families upon the diagnosis of Down Syndrome.

"Chloe's Law" would aid parents in their decision making process. It would simply make available up-to-date, evidence-based information about Down Syndrome that has been reviewed by medical experts and national Down Syndrome organizations.  The information would include physical, developmental, educational and psychosocial outcomes; life expectancy; clinical course; intellectual and functional development; treatment options; and contact information for First Call programs, support services, hotlines specific to Down Syndrome, relevant resource centers, clearinghouses and national and local Down Syndrome organizations.

So often parents and families are told with the diagnosis of Down Syndrome that an abortion is the only right response. If they knew there were resources available to help their unborn child succeed in life, they may make a different decision. The purpose of this bill is to let future parents and families know of these resources.

Contact your State Representative  (using this link) and State Senator (using this link)  and  ask them to co-sponsor Chloe's Law (by Sen. Vulakovich and Rep. Marshall) and to pass the bill when it's up for a vote.

For what it’s worth and whenever possible, I highly recommend faxing your messages to state representatives and senators as

• Each elected official receives countless e-mails (some of which are likely dumped as spam)
• A hardcopy letter often receives greater attention than an e-mail, but unfortunately that letter often requires more time to pass through greater security before reaching the intended official.

A fax solves this problem because: it’s an “instant letter and while legislators receive fewer faxes today, their offices still have (and use) working fax machines.

Thanks for your help in supporting babies with Down Syndrome - your actions to help "Chloe's Law" will help save lives.

Sample Message

Subject: Please Support & Co-Sponsor "Chloe's Law"

Please support Representative Jim Marshall and Senator Randy Vulakovich in the introduction of "Chloe's Law." The bill is named after an incredible child with Down syndrome and will require health care practitioners to provide evidence-based information to families upon the prenatal diagnosis of Down Syndrome. This ensures women and families are better informed with regard to the positive outcomes of giving birth to a child like Chloe.

Would you please support parents and families by supporting and co-sponsoring "Chloe's Law."