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Brain-Dead Virginia Woman Gives Birth To Healthy Baby Girl

ALEXANDRIA, VA, August 3, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Susan Torres, the brain-dead Virginia woman whose plight attracted the sympathy of the international community, has given birth to a healthy baby girl.  Born at 8:18 am, Susan Anne Catherine Torres was delivered by Caesarean section, weighing just 1 pound, 13 ounces.

26-year-old Susan Torres Sr., a vaccine researcher and mother of a two-year-old son, Peter, collapsed on May 7 of this year from advanced stages of melanoma. Having been pronounced brain-dead at the time with no hope of recovery, her husband Jason Torres chose to continue to artificially keep his wife alive until the child in her womb could develop to viability.

Jason had repeatedly said in the past that they hoped to be able to wait until the 25th week of pregnancy before delivering the child, that being the likely earliest point the child could survive outside the womb. The risk of failure was high as at any point during the pregnancy Susan’s organs could have failed, or the cancer could have spread through the umbilical cord to her baby. The baby was delivered at just over 26 weeks.

A statement released by the family said that, "There were no complications during delivery. The baby is doing well and is being monitored in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Virginia Hospital Center.”

The birth of his child is bittersweet for Jason, who quit his job to spend countless hours with his wife at her hospital bedside, and who now has to face the imminent decision to turn off the machines that are keeping her alive. Jason also has a two year old son, Peter.

“We thank all those who prayed and provided support for Susan, the baby and our family," stated Jason Torres, Susan's husband, “We especially thank God for giving us little Susan. My wife's courage will never be forgotten.”

"With the news of little Susan's birth comes the immense grief that her mother, Susan, will soon leave us for her heavenly reward,” said Paul Chaim Schenck, executive director of the National Pro-Life Action Center and adviser to the Torres’.

"Her valiant struggle to survive long enough to deliver her baby daughter is a deeply moving illustration of the force of love and the sacredness of life," Mr. Schenck said. He then offered a prayer for "the soul of Susan Torres," that she may, "through the mercy of God, rest in peace. ... Amen."

So far, the Susan Torres Fund has collected $400,000 of the approximately $1 million in medical costs incurred during the latter part of the pregnancy. To donate to the fund go to http://www.susantorresfund.org/.

jj/hw

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