RE: “Airbrushing Diversity”: Parents of Down Syndrome Children Tell of Abortion Pressures
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/mar/08030303.html
Dear Editor,
Having just read about the couple in Wales who have a healthy baby after being given advice to terminate, I decided I must tell you the story of my son who is now 7. During my pregnancy I was told that he was malformed and all the ‘soft markers’ indicated that I would have a baby with a chromosomal disorder such as Down Syndrome or Edwards syndrome.
They asked me to go and consider my options. I am a Christian and do not beleive that God would want me to abort my child so there was no other option for me but to trust Him and carry on with the pregnancy which is what I wanted.
I wouldn’t put the baby at risk from having an amnio (and there was no point as I would keep the baby anyway) so I had scans every two weeks until the birth. It was decided that it was more likely that the baby’s proportions showed he would be born with a skeletal disorder but from the shape of his head he would be severely mentally disabled and I was told by a specialist at St Mary’s in Manchester that I must terminate and they would allow me to terminate right up until the birth – advice I ignored.
I held on to my faith in God and looked up every verse in the Bible about healing and realised that it is always Gods will for health – there is no sickness in heaven, so I just kept praying until the end. The scans were consistently showing a disabled baby along with other problems within the bladder and kidneys.
I gave birth to him in August 2000. And although my son was small at 4lb 7oz, he was in perfect proportion, he has no bladder or kidney problems, nor any mental disability. He is now 7, a normal, funny boy in the juniors, with a love of music and Spongebob Squarepants.
This, I believe, is a miracle.He is a blessing to have around.
I’m so glad I listened to God and not the Doctors.
Thanks for reading
J O’Sullivan
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Dear Editor,
The article “Airbrushing Diversity” brought back many voices from over 19 years ago.
I was told there were chromosome abnormalities when I was pregnant with Courtney. I was told she would be a Down’s Syndrome baby. Would that have been so bad? Obviously not in accordance with all the people that were included in your article.
Courtney will be 19 in April. She does not have Down’s Syndrome. She is as perfect as any other human being could possibly be. I can’t help but wonder how many other people are alive today because their parents did not listen to the ‘advice’ of professionals when they too were told/encouraged to abort.
I remember the day my husband and I were there at the hospital in Charlotte, NC being counseled and signing papers stating that we would not hold them responsible for having a Down’s child. My heart goes out to all those women who listened to the ‘advice’ of professionals, whom we all put our trust in because they are professionals. Those families are having to deal with the healing and grieving of losing a child. Only God knows that child.
Susan Decker Bunce
Executive Director
Sav-A-Live of Montgomery, Inc.
First Choice Women’s Medical Center
Montgomery, AL
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