Labour politician opens up about disability, argues for PGT: 'I want a better future for my children'

Labour politician Gianluca Cutajar has opened up about the difficulties his disability has caused him in a heartfelt appeal in favour embryo genetic testing.

Cutajar suffers from the rare condition known as Spinal Muscular Atrophy, which causes physical disability and in some cases only allows the person to live for five years.

“Throughout these 29 years I have always lived serenely and at peace with myself. But if I tell you that SMA left no negative impact on me, I would not be saying the truth. It created obstacles for me as a child, in my youth, in my studies, my career… but the worst part is that it was an obstacle for me when trying to build a relationship with a special friend,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

Cutajar went on to say that he will continue adapting his life as he has always done but insisted he would do everything to ensure any future children he may have will not inherit SMA from him.

“Although I am not in a relationship and I am not a parent, I declare that I agree with PGT because I want a better future for my wife and our children,” Cutajar said.

A banker by profession, Cutajar contested the March general election with the Labour Party on the 5th District.

His voice joins that of the Commission for the Rights of Persons with a Disability, which earlier on Thursday said people have a right to choose PGT if they fear passing down their genetic disorders to their offspring.

On Wednesday, parliament started debating changes to the law regulating in-vitro fertilisation, which include the introduction of pre-implantation genetic testing for monogenic disorders. A protocol tabled in parliament lists nine conditions that will be tested and SMA is one of them.