This seven-year old model is really no different from any other seven-year old girl around.
She wants to be Elsa from Frozen.
She loves swimming and annoying her big sister.
She devours chocolate cake.
But she IS different from other seven-year olds as she is about to be a much recognised face in the UK having just become the star of a major UK retailer’s advertising campaign.
Oh – and she was born with Down syndrome.
Natty Goleniowska has been chosen over hundred and hundreds of other young girls to star in the Sainsbury’s Back to School campaign.
It is a massive advertising blitz in the UK – with online, magazine, TV and catalogues. Her face will be everywhere!
Her mother Haley told The UK Telegraph “It would be nice if this wasn’t news. But we are grateful that Sainsbury’s chose Natty for the shoot.”
“The more that advertising is inclusive — showing children in wheelchairs, with Down’s syndrome or any other disability — the better. And one day, we hope it won’t be surprising.”
Natty it seems has been a star in the making since she was born. First appearing an advertisement for a clothing company, Frugi, when she was four-years old.
Born with two holes in her heart which prevented oxygen circulating Natty had a difficult first few years. Her family, who live in Cornwall, had to deal with feeding her through a nasogastric tube and a massive surgery when she was two-years old.
Top Comments
She's beautiful,, but here on mamamia, on many occasions ,commentators have made it clear that they wouldn't proceed with a pregnancy of a child with Down's syndrome. The statistics are terrible - something around 80 - 90% of Down's syndrome babies are aborted.
It seems very hypocrtical to love this beautiful little girl, and yet willingly accept the high statistic of abortions of babies with Down's.
You've forgotten another statistic, what about the one about how a large proportion of Trisomy 21 pregnancys abort themselves or result in foetal death in utero. A lot of women feel they couldn't go through with delivering a stillborn, especially if the foetus has severe heart defects on ultrasound increasing the risk of foetal demise or suffering and multiple surgeries post birth. Each case is different and you can not make a blanket judgement. Yes, Natty is gorgeous, but she is a lucky one.
Lovely to see. We used to cal lit Down's Syndrome in this country too, until a marketing company involved in fundraising decided that two s's in a row were too hard for Americans to pronounce and an obstacle to donation. As usual, Australia followed in their wake. It's named after John Langdon Down and so it's "Down's Syndrome" as far as common English language usage is concerned