Mario Wezel (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hannover)
One in Eighthundred
Award of Excellence
Documentary
After the implementation of prenatal screenings across all of Denmark in 2004, the numbers of newborns with Down’s syndrome dropped intensively. While between 2000 and 2004 around 60 children were born with the chromosomal disease each year, in 2006 only 31 were born. More than 95% of all Danish parents to be, decide to have an abortion if they find out that they are about to carry out a baby with Trisomy 21. – A drastic change of the social landscape.
Emmy is five years old and has Down’s syndrome. With her parents Martin and Karina and her younger brother Kristian, she lives in the countryside in the middle of Denmark. For one year she has been attending the local kindergarten now and is about to have her first day of school at a public inclusive school, 30 kilometers away from home. Her parents had to fight with the municipality to find the right spot for Emmy.
Karina and Martin were given a low risk of 1:800 at their screening. “Emmy was just the number one”, they say today. The cut off is set at 1:300, meaning that invasive measures are recommended by doctors. Only the invasive test can give a clear answer about the health condition of the fetus.
The small family has managed to create a home full of life and warmth by today, even though the first months after Emmy was born they were in shock and had to align their expectations. They had to rethink their ideas of what is normal or perfect.
The world in their everyday life turns a little bit slower as Emmy just takes her time with many things. They are aware of that but seemed to have arranged themselves with it just fine.
It is not sure how the issue will develop in Denmark throughout the next years. For me that development is a sign for our strive for perfection. We don’t feel comfortable about bumps in the road and need to plan and know everything in advance. The story of Emmy and her family shows how much you can gain if you let life surprise yourself from time to time.
Story: One in Eighthundred
Close
Karina is holding Emmy on her arm in the evening hours of a long summer day. The sun is still shining warm through the window and Emmy enjoys the comfort of her mother. Emmy enjoys the physical closeness. Even with strangers, she often hugs them without knowing them.
Story: One in Eighthundred
searching
On the way back from shopping in the next town, Karina pulls over at the side of the road and starts to play with the kids in the green cornfield. Kristian is more than one year younger than his sister but they are about the same stage of development.
Story: One in Eighthundred
birhtday
It is Emmy's fifth birthday and the grandparents are visiting for brunch. While Karina is chatting with her father in law, Martin holds Emmy in his arms. Both seem to be drifting away with their thoughts.
Story: One in Eighthundred
looking
On the way back home, Emmy stares out the window into the danish countryside as daylight fades.
Story: One in Eighthundred
shower
While playing in the garden, Emmy has fallen of the shower. She starts to cry and pees her pants. Karina puts her in the shower where Emmy plays with the water. Emmy doesn’t feel the need for a toilet. Karina and Martin have to ask her regularly.
Story: One in Eighthundred
resting
After a long day Karina and Martin sit on their couch and watch TV. They both work a full job but manage to spend a lot of time with their kids. While one of them takes the kids to kindergarten, the other goes to work early to come back earlier and pick the kids up.
Story: One in Eighthundred
forest
Emmy is playing hide and seek with her father. The two of them went to a small lake while Karina and Kristian went to the city to see a movie at the cinema.
Story: One in Eighthundred
playing
While playing in the house with her brother and her mum, Emmy fades away in her thoughts for a short moment.
Story: One in Eighthundred
autumn
The family is visiting Hannover, Germany. While walking around the city they find a big stack of coloured leaves. All four of them start to play with it, not carring if there are other people around, really just enjoying themselves. The family often seems to not care so much what people around them think of them.
Story: One in Eighthundred
stairs
Emmy walks down the stairs holding her fathers hand. Her motor-abilities force her two take the stairs very slowly. Her joints are not working as good as the ones of other children.
Story: One in Eighthundred
lake
Emmy, six, stands in the lake Kulsø close to her home in the middle of Denmark. She stares through the clear water on her feet. She takes very small steps forward exploring the water, realizing that it crawls up her legs.
Story: One in Eighthundred
morning
Karina just woke up Emmy. The wall is sprinkled with light reflexes from the pailletes of Karinas shirt. In 2004, around 60 children were born with Down's Syndrome in Denmark, the number sank due to national screening policy down to 21 in 2012.