You-Can't-Put-Us-Down Syndrome

Client: Positive About Down Syndrome

In the UK, expectant parents of babies with Down syndrome are offered termination in the same conversation as diagnosis, and are often bombarded with conversations around the hardships that both parent and child will suffer.

Our objective? To convince parliamentarians to put pen to page with a promise to re-write the protocols used by health practitioners, and give expecting parents a more balanced view of what it means to have Down syndrome. Why? Because the reality of having a child with Down syndrome is a far cry from this bleak portrayal. Together with the charity, Positive About Down Syndrome, we took it upon ourselves to, quite literally, re-write what it means to have Down syndrome with our campaign, You-Can't-Put-Us Down Syndrome. From George Webster, a BAFTA-winning TV presenter and actor with Bring-the-House-Down syndrome, to Millie Prelogar, an influencer and activist with Never-Slowing-Down syndrome, we harnessed the power of words as fuel for change, and showed the UK that there's plenty to be positive about Down syndrome. You-Can't-Put-Us Down Syndrome earned more than 30 million impressions, and the power of words landed us a spot where we needed it the most; at the Houses of Parliament. Here, our campaign secured over 60 pledges from MPs, lords and parliamentarians, as well as gaining the support of Rishi Sunak - just moments after he was appointed as Prime Minister.