EastEnders has announced that two of the soap's characters, Whitney Dean and Zack Hudson, will be at the centre of a storyline that will see their baby diagnosed with the genetic disorder Edwards Syndrome, also known as Trisomy18.
Announcing the storyline, the BBC said the remaining January episodes will see Whitney and Zack, played by Shona McGarty and James Farrar, receive the diagnosis after an ultrasound leads to further tests.
The soap is working with the UK organisations Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC) and SOFT UK "to accurately reflect and raise awareness of Edwards Syndrome whilst sensitively portraying the tough decisions that prospective parents are faced with following a diagnosis".
Jan Fowler, Chair at SOFT UK, said: "At SOFT UK, we support families impacted by Edwards or Patau's Syndrome, and we were pleased to be able to work with the EastEnders team on how they could approach the story of Whitney and Zack’s baby's diagnosis of Edwards Syndrome in an accurate and sensitive way."
Jane Fisher, Director at Antenatal Results and Choices, said: "At ARC, we hear daily from expectant parents dealing with the shock of being told their baby is not developing as expected, as is sadly the case for those who receive an Edwards Syndrome diagnosis.
"This is a distressing and often isolating time for expectant parents as they try and navigate their next steps in a state of emotional turmoil and it's rarely spoken about.
"Well done EastEnders for tackling this difficult subject, and we are pleased they involved us to help them treat the storyline with such sensitivity and compassion."
Chris Clenshaw, Executive Producer of EastEnders, added: "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.
"Shona and James' 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."
If you have been affected by issues raised in this story, please visit: www.rte.ie/helplines.
EastEnders airs on RTÉ One and BBC One Monday to Thursday.
