Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Mum and daughter in carpool karaoke film
Online video marks world Down Syndrome day
Mum and daughter Mairi and Emma Watkins are among the stars of a huge viral online hit marking today’s world Down Syndrome day.
They are among families from all over the UK who contributed their singing and signing selfie clips to the awareness-raising video, entitled “50 mums, 50 kids, 1 extra chromosome”.
Four-year-old Emma, who has Down Syndrome, and mum Mairi filmed themselves accompanying the song A Thousand Years with simplified sign language Makaton.
It swiftly garnered more than three million views after its release on Friday, including support from a host of celebrities including carpool karaoke host James Corden and singer Christina Perri.
Emma and Mairi – who is originally from Plains and later lived in Cairnhill – got involved after the idea originated on Facebook group Designer Genes, for parents who have children with Down Syndrome who were born in 2013-2014.
Mairi told the Advertiser: “It’s been phenomenal; we’re blown away. We’ve had responses from people like Dawn French, Stacey Solomon, Piers Morgan and Russell Brand – we’re struggling to keep up.
“We thought it was a good video and that if we reached out enough to people that it might take off, but I don’t think anyone anticipated this level of interest.
“If we’d got a six-figure number of views we’d have taken that as a great result, so to see the video reach three million views over the weekend is just surreal.”
She added: “It’s been hard just trying to keep up with everything – we all have children to look after, jobs to go to and normal life to keep on top of, so I don’t think we’ve had much time to step back and think about how well it’s done, but there’s been so much positive feedback.”
A Thousand Years singer Perri tweeted: “This is the best! I’m so honoured they chose my song!”
Mairi said: “We loved watching the video; Emma points out her friends and sings along, and she and her brother, Matthew, both know it by heart now.
“It was a lot of fun. We played the song on an iPad and had the phone positioned to record us – although for lots of it Emma was too busy looking in the mirror, fixing her hair and singing other songs!
“The film is just kids having fun with their mums, and it helps dispel a lot of myths and fears about Down Syndrome and spreads a little joy.
“It’s about celebrating our children’s differences, but also showing that they’re just kids and how fun they are; I like that they’re jumping about, cuddling mum and doing all the things four-year-olds do.”
Emma and Mairi’s appearance in the film – aiming to popularise campaign hashtag #wouldntchangeathing – can be seen at https://youtu.be/Biex1XR_mpo