McDonald’s Super Bowl ad features girl with Down syndrome

In the midst of the trashy ads that tend to fill TV screens on Super Bowl Sunday, a few beautiful ones also make their appearance.

One of the most beautiful ads this year comes from McDonald’s. The burger corporation included Grace Ramsburg, an eight-year-old with Down syndrome, in its one-minute spot “Pay With Lovin.'”

Grace’s mom is thrilled that her daughter’s face will be seen by millions throughout the nation tomorrow. And indeed, the more often people are able to truly see the personality and spirit of people with Down syndrome, the more they realize their intrinsic beauty.

In addition to the beauty that Grace Ramsburg so eloquently communicates, Americans also need to get the message that people just like Grace deserve to live — every time.

All too often, babies in the womb who are diagnosed with Down syndrome are sentenced to death. Parents are given worst-case-scenario information and little hope.

The Huffington Post wrote an intensive article about the profound lack of adequate counseling and information given to parents whose babies have been diagnosed with Down syndrome. One mother quoted in the article said:

A medical geneticist also pointed out a major problem:

As a side note, babies can also be misdiagnosed — up to half the time — by screening tests (for Down syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities) that parents base their abortion decision on. The Daily Beast reports:

These tragic failures in the medical community have led to what is sometimes termed “the Down syndrome holocaust.” As Live Action News writer Cassy Fiano wrote:

Let’s hope that the simple act of viewing Grace Ramsburg during tomorrow’s big game can help to change hearts and minds. Every life truly deserves a lifetime.