Little girl with Down’s Syndrome unveiled as new face of popular Irish yogurt campaign
Abby Dillon is a beautiful little girl who has Down’s syndrome, and is now the new face of Glenisk’s Organic No-Added-Sugar baby yogurts across Ireland. Her mother hopes it will challenge misconceptions surrounding people with the condition. 19-month old Abby who had open-heart surgery last year was one of the 14 finalists selected from 4,500 entries into Glenisk’s #SweetBaby search competition.
Ann Dillon, Abby’s mum from County Cork, told the Irish Independent how she is brimming with pride and excitement. “It’s so exciting and we’re so proud,” a delighted Ann said. Speaking about the importance of Abby featuring in the prominent new campaign, she told the paper, “It’s so important for us because there are so many misconceptions and old-fashioned stereotypes about people with Down’s Syndrome. I think visibility in the media is the first step towards awareness, breaking down those stereotypes, and ultimately acceptance." Of course, the astonishing and appalling reality surrounding Down’s Syndrome is that severe pressure is being put on women across the globe to have abortions when their unborn babies have been diagnosed with a disability of any kind. Without a doubt, babies diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome are ultimately the most discriminated against. In the UK, 90% of unborn children with the condition are aborted. In Iceland, the rate is 100%. Just take a moment to absorb that statistic.
With so much time and money being spent in a tragic quest to eliminate these special babies, this story is an unequivocally uplifting one. Mum Ann stressed that when it comes to people with Down’s Syndrome, they are more alike than different – something we all need to remind ourselves of in a prevailing culture of death. Speaking about what it was like for her having a baby with the condition, Ann said, “when Abby was born it was a scary time for us because we didn’t know any other babies with Down syndrome." Fear and apprehension for those expecting a child with the condition has sadly become a cultural commodity, as terminating the life of a child with Down’s has become culturally acceptable; it is the mainstream. Ann expanded on this, with a poignant message to other mums: “If we knew then what we knew now it wouldn’t have been as scary. People should understand that people with Down’s syndrome are more alike than they are different."
Director of Glenisk, Emma Walls, said that Abby was a natural on set. Ms Walls said: "She was great fun to photograph with limitless energy and smiles and her pictures are simply beautiful. She was a natural at the shoot so we chose her to feature on our natural flavour; we are honoured to have her feature on Glenisk packs." The yogurts adorned with Abby's adorable pictures have just landed in shops and Ann said her family and friends have been busy getting their hands on them. She said: “My sisters in Kilkenny and Dublin have spotted the yogurts up there, and I think my mother’s fridge must be full of ‘Abbys’.” Ann said that Abby’s seven-year-old brother James and four-year-old sister Amy are also thrilled about the news. Ann went on to praise Down Syndrome Centre Cork where Abby avails of services provided.