A fight for life. Eléonore Laloux, 37, carrier of trisomy 21, has been, for a month, the French ambassador of Barbie Mattel suffering from trisomy. For the occasion, 20 minutes went to Arras, near Lille, to the headquarters of the association ” Down Up to meet her. This association is led by volunteers who support disabled people towards autonomy.
Hardly crossed the step of the door, Emmanuel, father of Eléonore and president of association, makes a point of making visit the places. Created thirty-seven years ago, the place is calm, spaced out, clean, ideal for the ten employees and the sixty people with disabilities who regularly pass through it. A kitchen, a children’s corner and apartments still under development, where some young disabled people will soon be able to live. This course, Éléonore passed it in August 2011. It is one of the first facts that she proudly announces as soon as she introduces herself.
Delegated Advisor for Inclusive Transition and Happiness
“My parents have always fought for me, so that I am ordinary, educated like everyone else, that I have a normal life, an ordinary job, that I am among others,” says the young lady. From a very young age, she has been a role model for everyone. Spokesperson for the association “Les amis d’Eléonore”, which fights against the stigmatization of her illness, she has also released a book Triso and then! in March 2014. After working at the prefecture for 16 years now, she became a municipal councilor alongside Frédéric Leturque, mayor of Arras, in October 2021.
Contacted by 20 minutes, the latter is “proud to have brought (s) a stone to the building”. He recounts their meeting. “Two days before the results of the 2014 municipal campaign, I went to Paris for a day organized by his association, explains the mayor of Arras. I was impressed by his ability to speak, by his fights for inclusion. In 2016, she had a major heart operation. I told him “if you overcome this operation, in 2018, I’ll take you on my list”. She thought about it and, today, she is advised delegated to happiness. »
As a councillor, Éléonore Laloux succeeded in improving inclusiveness in the capital of Pas-de-Calais: development of change toilets for people with reduced mobility at the town hall and in the sports hall, improvement of traffic lights tricolors with sound devices and new street signs that you can flash to hear their name and find your way around the city…
The Barbie with trisomy 21, a source of pride
Each week, Eléonore Laloux continues the efforts. She works full time. In the morning, she works at the prefecture, while in the afternoon, she works at the town hall. Her father only gets to see her when she comes to the association’s HQ because she is also the assistant secretary. But all of this she does out of love, out of passion. “I am intense, dynamic, joyful, I have a smile. I help young people to continue, to persevere. I support them, ”she says, her eyes sparkling.
For the past month, a new occupation has filled the little time he has left. Indeed, Eléonore is the French ambassador of the Barbie with Down syndrome, launched by the toy brand, Mattel. With the two English and Dutch ambassadors, she is one of the European representatives. “This doll illustrates Barbie with Down syndrome and I embody people with the disease, explains Eléonore. I am very proud to be in charge of it because it gives hope to parents and helps young people to grow and flourish”. The doll joins the large inclusive Barbie collection.
Both father and daughter are “very proud” of this Barbie. This is also a new breakthrough for Mattel. “Our goal together has been to get the company to understand that Barbie isn’t just plastic. No, it is necessary in today’s society”, explains his father.
When we ask Eléonore if she finds herself in the physical representation of the figurine, she answers with humor. “She has a flat nose, she wears Cortez, I don’t. On the other hand, she is smaller, she has almond eyes and she is flirtatious like me,” she exclaims.
The new ambassador has already received a large number of messages on social networks from parents thanking and supporting her. The doll is currently in pre-sales on the Internet, it will be available in stores from mid-June.