Shared by Jennifer Fiander..regarding well-known Actor Colin Farrell's son James also has Angelman Sydrome.

Just announced: Well-known Actor Colin Farrell's son also has Angelman Syndrome
Yesterday I was forwarded an article that announced that Colin Farrell has a son with Angelman Syndrome, the same disorder my son has. Wow. Finally someone well-known that maybe can shed some light on AS.
I belong to an AS listserv. I don't go on it very often now, because I rarely have time with the kids and with my business. But I went onto the listserv to check the reaction of everyone to this story.
It’s funny, all of the parents who were on the AS listserv always wished there was someone famous who was affected by AS, so that there would be more awareness of it. So, with the news being released yesterday about Colin Farrell, our combined initial reaction of course was- wow! Some people were openly ‘excited’ by this news. Not that we wish for people to have children with special needs, but we have all become sort of a ‘family’ on the listserv, so we gladly welcome any newcomers. And the majority of us also know how much having a child with special needs enriches our lives, so we don't 'feel sorry' for those in the same situation as us. And the article was a positive one, talking about how Colin feels blessed by his son, and how he – even though the boy’s mother and he are no longer together- is still a very present and hands-on dad. A few people on the listserv were working at contacting him through different methods, and there was a LOT of talk going on about how it was going to bring awareness, etc.
As I was trying to go to sleep, I couldn’t get this situation out of my head. All of the greatness of having a celebrity attached to AS didn't make sense anymore- the fog in my brain had cleared. What did we all want- a spokesperson for Angelman Syndrome? Wow, we were naïve… He and his ex don’t need the responsibility of feeling like they have to do that sort of thing just because they are a celebrity. And the idea that he is a celebrity going through the diagnosis, dealing with the things that we all deal with when our kids are young- how we feel, how we feel about others’ perceptions… I wonder if he felt forced to release the article. Was there really any other way? Would they just continue to live their lives as ‘normal’ and get chased by photographers on a daily basis and read write-ups in the enquirer or whatever saying ‘What is wrong with Colin Farrell’s son?” . Dealing with your feelings of having a special needs child in those young years or any years are very private. I can’t imagine not being able to live those moments quietly.
Of course, once the hype settled on the listserv, many of us realized that we can welcome Mr. Farrell and his son’s mom to the list, and to give them the support that they need (even if they join anonymously), without invading their privacy or being pushy. Even celebrities need support for these things.
Still, I did forward the article on to family and friends who I thought might be interested. And it is nice to see “Angelman Syndrome” out there for the world to find out about.
And a friend of mine who does NOT have any special needs children, but is still a very wise woman responded to my email with this:
It's just too bad that it requires a celebrity to bring awareness to it. After all, does it really have the same implications for someone who can afford all of the help, medical care and specialty equipment that money can buy?
Wow, that is powerful. And true. But at the same time, I’m happy for little James that he was lucky enough to be born to two loving parents who DO have the money to care for him. However, with most of us, it is not the case.
I love (sarcasm) how they always say “SUFFERS from Angelman Syndrome” . So many AS people live healthy and happy lives. I hardly call being happy everyday ‘suffering’.People’s perceptions have to change.