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Mother Discovers Company Stole Photo of Daughter with Down Syndrome to Advertise Prenatal Testing

  • Amanda Casanova

    Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and…

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  • Updated Jun 18, 2015

A mother to a child with Down syndrome and cancer says a Swiss biotechnology company used a photo of her child without permission to advertise for prenatal testing.

Christie Hoo says the company Genoma “stole” a picture of her daughter and used it to promote prenatal testing kits.

“To know that this happened infuriated me, but when I saw with my own eyes… her sweet face on that ugly banner, it broke my heart,” Hoos, who lives in Canada, wrote on her blog. “While my girl courageously fights for her life, this company questions whether she has a life worth living. How dare they?!”

A spokeswoman for Genoma said the company has removed the advertisement, according to The Blaze

“This picture, displaying a beautiful smiling girl, was meant to convey a message of life and vitality and to make people think, our intention was to share this concept with the health care professionals,” spokeswoman Elena Dalle Carbonare said.

Carbonare said the ad was an “internal error of communication.” The company also apologized on their website.

“The campaign is so disparaging towards individuals with Down syndrome that it incited an avalanche of complaints from concerned parents and disability rights activists in Spain,” Hoos wrote. “One parent is quoted in a local publication asking ‘what mother could allow her daughter to be photographed and used for this campaign?’

“They insulted and abused my innocent child in their pursuit of profit. They broke faith with common human decency. And the world is watching,” she said.

Publication date: June 18, 2015