Gerber® Sends An Important Message in Selecting Lucas, the First Gerber Baby With Down Syndrome by Ann Marie G. Halstead

Lucas Warren was just named the “2018 Gerber Baby,” selected from more than 140,000 photos submitted for consideration to Gerber®. The 18-month-old's mother, Cortney, submitted a photo of Lucas dressed in a polka dot bow tie. But it was his smile that won him the title of Gerber Spokesbaby, according to Bill Partyka, President of Gerber. (The Washington Post)

Lucas is the first child with Down syndrome to receive the honor. His father, Jason, remarked to Today, “We're hoping this will impact everyone – that it will shed a little bit of light on the special needs community and help more individuals with special needs be accepted and not limited … They have the potential to change the world, just like everybody else.”

Katie Driscoll, Founder and President of Changing the Face of Beauty, a non-profit that advocates for equal representation of people with disabilities in advertising and media, had this to say about Gerber’s decision in Today: “We believe if brands represent children with a disability, they are communicating their value to our society … Moves like this move us closer to a more inclusive world.”

Thank you, Gerber, for helping to move us closer to a more inclusive world. And watch out, world; Lucas is stealing hearts everywhere.

Photos: Today