Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) will face a devastating decision in upcoming EastEnders scenes, following heartbreaking news about her baby.
After an agonising wait for their test results, Whitney and Zack Hudson (James Farrar) will be told that their baby has Edward’s syndrome.
Edward’s syndrome is a condition that occurs when a baby has three copies of chromosome 18 in their cells instead of 2, which affects development.
Babies with the condition are unlikely to survive past birth, and only 13 in 100 babies born with the condition live past their first birthday.
Following the diagnosis, Whitney is left with a devastating decision to make about the future.
EastEnders is working closely with Antenatal Results and Choices and SOFT UK to accurately reflect and raise awareness of Edwards’ Syndrome while sensitively portraying the tough decisions that prospective parents are faced with following a diagnosis.
‘It was imperative for us to work alongside Antenatal Results and Choices and SOFT UK to accurately present, and sensitively portray, such an emotional storyline that many parents may relate to.’ Executive producer Chris Clenshaw said.
‘Shona McGarty and James Farrar’s performances have thoughtfully portrayed the realities of the diagnosis and the decision making process with compassion and understanding.
‘We hope that this story resonates with the audience, and that we represent it as sensitively, and as accurately as possible.’
Viewers will also see Zack struggling to come to terms with the prognosis, but, after some encouragement from Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean), is able to support Whitney through this horrendous time.
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