Jono Lancaster, 26, has suffered rejection and discrimination his entire life – all because of the way he looks. Born with a rare genetic condition, Treacher-Collins syndrome, Jono has no cheekbones or external ears and has endured years of bullying and countless hospital appointments.
The nature of the condition means that any child Jono fathers will have a 50 per cent chance of contracting Treacher-Collins. Now Jono has an important question he wants answered – what if my baby was born like me?
The film follows Jono and his girlfriend Laura as they go on a quest to find out the options available to them should they decide to start a family. Jono meets a variety of families who have faced or are facing this very conundrum.
He also meets with youngsters affected by Treacher-Collins to see if attitudes have changed since his days at school. Confronted by all the options, what will they decide? And will the decisions they make draw them closer together?
7.16
Rating: 7.16/10 based on 63 votes cast.
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If I had a option to not pass on a genetic mutation to a child I would do whatever it takes so the child will grow up as normal as possible. I wish scientists can find out how to correct the genetic mutation on aging and death so we can correct that!
Aging and death are not genetic mutations, they are adaptations. There is a book “Lifespan: Why We Age and Why We Don’t Have To” by Dr. David Sinclair. It’s quite good and can explain better than I.
Really interesting documentary. What a lovely, thoughtful guy Jono is, and not unattractive in my view. Unlike the internet trolls, I can easily see why someone would fall for him! I hope everything works out great for him. Also, while I understand his dilemma, as someone with a health condition and with parents who also had them, I don’t think it’s disrespectful to be selective about embryos.
that first guy didnt do to bad for himself. his gf is hot.
jonos adoptive mother is such a wonderful soul and a breath of fresh air. god bless.
It says the video has been removed. Anyone know where we can watch this?
I wanted to add a comment and only for the simple fact that there are so many disgusting and pathetic bullies on this comment thread. If you have a problem with someone because of the way they were born or how they look and can’t resist bashing them online, you truly are a big fat pile of garbage. My son was born with a cleft lip and palate and is the most beautiful boy I have ever seen. It is scum of the earth slime balls like you that make me nervous to ever send my boy to school or allow him to own a computer. People are literally committing suicide because of the abuse they have to endure over the internet and you people just can’t stop can you? All of you pieces of shit should not be allowed to leave the house or be online because you are all parasites in a world that would otherwise be a decent place to live in. SHAME ON YOU!!!!
Are you SERIOUSLY comparing TC to a cleft lip and palate? I bet your son had a surgery in infancy that fixed it right up, and that no one can tell the difference now. Not so for people with TC! It is incredibly selfish and disgusting to take this sort of risk for your child. This man knows the physical and emotional torture he has endured, but he’s willing to put his child through that to make his dispicable, horrific, god awful girlfriend happy?! Not shame on anyone who believes this is totally immoral. Shame on the two of them!!!!!
I’ll admit I know little of this subject but are there tests that will indicate any genetic abnormalities in a fetus?…blood markers early in the pregnancy?…early enough for an abortion should that be their decision….it would most definitely my decision.
Adoption is completely different from having your own child. That child often DOES have parents out there besides the adopters who would have chosen to bring the child up. In the UK social workers are allowed to have any child they want taken into care and eventually adopted. Often the reasons given are not even clear or fully legitimate: http://www.forced-adoption.com/introduction.asp
That child could find out what happened, and all hell could break loose. The child might even abandon his/her adoptive parents. I have seen it happen before:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-429592/How-state-stole-daughter.html
I think that Laura is right to be cautious about adoption. You are NOT that child’s biological parents. It could go completely wrong.
I think that Jonno is an inspiration to even people without any disabilities/disfigurements. He has never let his disorder hold him back in life. He has a beautiful girlfriend, a job, a house and he has a lot of pride in the way that he presents himself. His treacher collins hasn’t gotten in the way of any of his goals and he’s a brilliant guy. I have nothing but admiration for him.
Glad to see people thinking through their choices so thoroughly when planning to start a family and how those choices will affect them and the child down the track. What great parents they will make.
You people need to shut the hell up.
Jono,
I don’t know if you will ever read and see this, but you are a BEAUTIFUL person, inside and out. Don’t listen to ignorant people who say stupid shit because they don’t know any better, keep your head up high.
you are so brave and beautiful!!!!!!!!!
He’s a very positive, inspiring person and I do hope that they end up having children one way or another some day. Best of luck to both of them!
I have to flip the coin on this. There are people who are completely healthy and have disabled children. You need to look at this and think that healthy people have “unhealthy” children so why can’t “unhealthy” people have healthy children?
When its your child you don’t care what’s wrong with them, they’re your children and you will go to the ends of the earth to help them anyway you can.
What a lovely and brave lad. He’s been put through hell by other people, for no reason whatsoever. Would his detractors be as courageous? We’re pre-programmed to be afraid of something different as a defence from when we didn’t have any education and the human race had to survive as best it could.
We should know better by now.
What a beautiful inspiring man. If half of the worlds people were like him the world would be a much more understanding and tolerant place. Good work Jonno. You are a great human being.
How ’bout this solution ?? …. Jono was open to adoption. Laura wanted the experience of pregnancy. So…. what about having a baby through the use of an anonymous (but health screened) sperm donor. That way, Laura has the experience of pregnancy, … they both have the experience of having ‘their child’ together,… and Jono legally adopts the child. I mean,… a child being one’s OWN child can have nothing to do with biology. And Jono was open to adoption from the beginning, having been adopted himself. It still would be a life that they are creating together, as a couple. Makes sense to me.
Thats a rly good idea coz jono cood adopt the child which he was ok with and laura cood experience pregnancy
So let’s get this straight. Jono and Laura MUST have kids. Laura can’t stand the idea of adopting a baby, and her mother agrees. Laura can’t stand the idea of having to go through the trouble of IVF, so they won’t eliminate the chance of their baby inheriting Treacher-Collins. They saw the lady who passed on HED to her 3rd baby, irresponsibly, and that she was “happy and there was even talk of a 4th child” so therefore they assume they too can be happy!
Therefore, the only real option is to conceive naturally so that they run the risk of a child going through 30+ surgeries, gradually breaking its jaw with a screw apparatus, and being stared at for its whole life. Zack is right – it’s nothing to do with the condition. These people are selfish and totally irresponsible and immature. On the bright side, Laura won’t have to change that dreadful breathing tube, because Jono does all the housework.
that is what I have been saying to myself this whole entire time! I so agree.
I cannot believe how cruel some of these comment are. Too bad YOU nasty people weren’t weeded out at conception. Laura and Jono are beautiful on the inside. Whether or not they have children is their right. Chances are, affected or not by this horrible defect, their offspring won’t grow up to leave apalling and cowardly comments on Facebook or Documentary Heaven.
SUPPORT WHAT YOU’ve BEEN SAID!!
SUPPORT WHAT YOU’ve BEEN SAID!!
SUPPORT WHAT YOU’ve BEEN SAID!!
SUPPORT WHAT YOU’ve BEEN SAID!!
I can’t seem to pull this video up
NATURAL SELECTION
NATURAL SELECTION
very selfish, just because you don’t mind the deformity does not mean your child will be as accepting of it. Life is difficult in the best of times, why start out with a problem.
God why are people so judgmental, everyone is different and has the right to live their life the way they want.
God why are people so judgmental, everyone is different and has the right to live their life the way they want.
The question isn’t “What if my child is born like me?” The question is, why would you even take that risk with another person’s life when there are tons of kids waiting to be adopted? What a fool.
Just because someone has a condition doesn’t mean they should “just adopt” – it’s not for everyone.
Just because someone has a condition doesn’t mean they should “just adopt” – it’s not for everyone.
Just because someone has a condition doesn’t mean they should “just adopt” – it’s not for everyone.
Just because someone has a condition doesn’t mean they should “just adopt” – it’s not for everyone.
Nope, cannot watch it either – be it here or youtube.
Nope, cannot watch it either – be it here or youtube.
Nope, cannot watch it either – be it here or youtube.
I reaaally hope they decide not to conceive. Not because of the genetic disorder, but because they’re both idiots and shouldn’t be raising kids.
Zack just put a sock in it. Who made you the eugenics authority? Perhaps we should screen embryos for assholes..
Right. Everyone should just be able to do whatever they want; we cannot judge.
Cut the crap, “Bubba”… when two stupid people get together and raise kids, they make bad decisions and they end up screwing their kids up horribly. Then I, as a tax paying citizen, end up paying for them when they become guests of the state, or when they end up crapping out a kid of their own at 15 and have to start up the welfare, or whatever.
But again, we cannot judge.
Seems like you think that the reason your’ taxes are high is due to helping people. Looks like somebody did not look into the fact that almost every major American corporation pays 0 taxes. I hope you see that you really want to eliminate life for monetary gain, and really not even that much. Serious lack of reasoning there, and understandable due to the constant barrage of shit the media puts out, but seriously don’t take my word for it; look up how much money goes to entitlements within the U.S and compare that with how much corporations are dodging in taxes every year. Also who are you to judge who is intelligent or not? You seem to think that you know how to look smart, but if you knew anything about sentence structure you would not have posted that. Also maybe look at the cause of these welfare situations and you would understand that, as a wise man once said, “Poverty is the worst form of violence.” – Mahatma Gandhi
That sounds like 99% of the “normal” folks out there. How do you know that this couple would not be good parents? I have seen many disabled couples with children (often normal healthy kids) who do fine and have perfectly healthy families. they sometimes need some help and support but it works.
You are judging.
they are from a different country, fucktard
they are from a different country, fucktard
And oh yes.. people from Missouri. Most backward state ever!
And oh yes.. people from Missouri. Most backward state ever!
HOW THE FUCK IS HIS GIRLFRIEND SO HOT? THIS IS HORSESHIT!
You are a idiot…
WOMEN LIKE LOSERS, LOLOL
Are you saying that women like you? Somehow I doubt that despite your claims. It might be the fact that she likes who he is as a person; love isn’t just based on looks (unless you’re a completely shallow, selfish POS.) I suggest trying to grow up.
HOW THE FUCK IS HIS GIRLFRIEND SO HOT? THIS IS HORSESHIT!
You can watch it on Youtube! Good show. Hope they are successful, because they seem like good people.
You can watch it on Youtube! Good show. Hope they are successful, because they seem like good people.
Same problem in Canada.
Same problem in Canada.
Same problem in Canada.
same in korea
I was trying to watch this from Germany and was informed that “This video is not available”. Too bad, sounded interesting.
I was trying to watch this from Germany and was informed that “This video is not available”. Too bad, sounded interesting.