#176 Glee’s Lauren Potter on Down Syndrome Awareness

We are ecstatic to introduce this week’s guest, Lauren Potter! You might know Lauren as Becky Jackson from the TV show Glee. She was in all six seasons playing a character who, like her, has Down Syndrome! After graduating high school and attending college in California, Lauren began acting, starring in her first film at the age of 16. In 2012 she was nominated for a SAG award in the Ensemble in a Comedy Series category for her work in Glee, and she also received the SAG/AFTRA Harold Russell Award at the 2012 Media Access Awards On top of being a fabulous and successful actress, Lauren is also a fierce advocate. President Obama appointed her to the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities. She has advocated with AbilityPath, Best Buddies International, the National Down Syndrome Society, The American Association of People with Disabilities, and Special Olympics. We are honored to have Lauren on the show, and the timing couldn’t be more perfect with World Down Syndrome Awareness Day coming up on March 21st! This day was chosen because people with Down Syndrome have three copies of chromosome 21, so the 21st day of the 3rd month. On This Episode We Discuss: What it is like growing up with Down Syndrome Lauren’s experience auditioning for the role of Becky on Glee What Lauren wants people to know about how the R word can affect people Lauren’s advocacy work with Best Buddies and the President’s Committee for people with Intellectual Disabilities “A Guest Room” a short film where Lauren was the lead actress and executive producer Inspirational advice for people with Down Syndrome Advice for parents who may have just found out their baby has Down Syndrome Be sure to follow Lauren on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to stay up to date on her advocacy work and latest acting roles! Stay tuned for the next new episode of DNA Today on March 25, 2022 where we’ll be discussing whole genome sequencing with world-renowned geneticist Dr. Madhuri Hegde, Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Global Lab Services at PerkinElmer Genomics. New episodes are released on Fridays. In the meantime, you can binge over 175 other episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “DNA Today”. Episodes since 2021 are also recorded with video which you can watch on our YouTube channel. DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen. Our social media lead is Corinne Merlino. Our video lead is Amanda Andreoli. See what else we are up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNApodcast.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to [email protected]. Every pregnancy has a chance to have a genetic abnormality or complication. Mitera empowers you to make the most informed reproductive decisions through their at-home genetic tests, without needing your doctor’s order. These tests include non-invasive prenatal screening (Mitera’s Peaches&Me) and carrier screening (Mitera’s 23pears). Request your own kit at miteragenetics.com and use code “DNATODAY” for 10% off. Mitera. Predict. Prevent. Prepare. (SPONSORED) Vizgen is dedicated to pioneering the next generation of genomics, providing tools that demonstrate the possibilities of in situ single cell spatial genomics. These tools are enabling researchers to gain insight into the biological systems that govern human health and disease. Stay tuned for our full episode with Vizgen where we explore single-cell spatial genomics. Get a sneak peak by visiting their website at vizgen.com. Vizgen, leaders in spatially resolved, single-cell transcriptomics. (SPONSORED) PerkinElmer Genomics is a global leader in genetic testing focusing on rare diseases, inherited disorders, newborn screening, and hereditary cancer. Testing services support the full continuum of care from preconception and prenatal to neonatal, pediatric, and adult. Testing options include sequencing for targeted genes, multiple genes, the whole exome or genome, and copy number variations. Using a simple saliva or blood sample, PerkinElmer Genomics answers complex genetic questions that can proactively inform patient care and end the diagnostic odyssey for families. Learn more at PerkinElmerGenomics.com. (SPONSORED) Did you know there is a genetic counselor that specializes in offering care to those in the adoptee community? Brianne Kirkpatrick co-wrote “The DNA Guide for Adoptees” to provide a resource for those in the adoptee community who are utilizing DNA testing to find biological relatives or to seek out medical information. She also started Watershed DNA to offer personalized genetic counseling to directly support people in the aftermath of a surprise DNA discovery. You can hear Brianne share her insight from her book in Episode 103 of DNA Today! Learn more atWatershedDNA.com where you can also book your consult today with Brianne. (SPONSORED)