A NEWPORT mum has praised BBC soap Eastenders for its portrayal of Edwards' Syndrome after losing her daughter of the same condition eight years ago.
A recent Eastenders storyline has seen character Whitney Dean lose her baby to Edwards' Syndrome, and the mum has praised programme writers for their accurate portrayal of the condition.
Sarah Davies-Hope and her husband David were told during pregnancy that their second daughter had Edwards' Syndrome (Trisomy, 18), a rare but serious chromosome deficiency.
Ms Davies-Hope gave birth to a stillborn baby girl at 21 weeks pregnant at the Royal Gwent Hospital on April 1, 2015.
Watching the episode was like watching our life story. Picture: Sarah Davies-Hope
Whitney Dean and Zack's heartbreak
As Whitney Dean’s baby daughter Peach died from the condition, Ms Davies-Hope tells the Argus it was emotional to re-live their experience watching the episodes.
She said: “It was emotional to watch, it was quite similar to what we went through it was a hard watch but they have portrayed it really well
“In our real-life situation, we weren’t given the option to continue the pregnancy. When the doctors told Whitney that her baby definitely had Edwards' Syndrome, she was given option not to continue with her pregnancy or continue with it and when the baby is born, if it is born alive, a palliative care team take over.
“We weren’t given that option as we are in Wales and that’s in England and we do things differently.”
Eastenders: Whitney Dean and partner Zack after they found out the heart-breaking news that her baby has Edwards' Syndrome. Picture: BBC
In last this week's episodes, Whitney pushes everyone away and isolates herself to ponder the decision of whether she made the right choice to not continue with the pregnancy.
Ms Davies-Hope told the Argus that the episode brought back a lot of memories with her husband unable to watch the episode.
She added: “I know what Whitney is going through, as I remember doing all of those exact same things and watching the episode was like re-living the experience all over again.
“From the diagnosis, and starting the process to end her pregnancy, it was quite difficult to watch. I am amazed that the show has taken on such a sensitive subject.
Sarah keeps her daughters memory alive through her charity Ffion's Gift. Picture: Sarah Davies-Hope
“Raising awareness of the second most common chromosome disorder to Down Syndrome is amazing as I still speak to people after losing my daughter seven years ago and they don’t know it exist.
“It is absolutely incredible, and as much as difficult as the episode was to watch I am chuffed they are portraying the storyline.”
Ffion's Gift
Ffion is survived by her older sister Carys Davies-Hope and younger sister Bella, who Ms Davies-Hope describes as her rainbow baby, born in 2017.
Since her daughter’s death, the charity founded by Ffion’s mum is raising awareness of Edwards Syndrome and supporting other mums who have gone through baby loss.
What is Edwards' Syndrome?
Edwards' Syndrome affects how a baby may survive, most babies born with the condition will die before or shortly after birth.
About 13 in 100 babies born alive with Edwards Syndrome will not live past their first birthday.
A baby with the condition has three copies of chromosome number 18 instead of two, which effects how the baby will grow and develop.
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