CAPE TOWN, South Africa, February 12, 2016 (LifeSiteNews) — Born at 24 weeks, and weighing only a pound, Joshua Rohner was so premature and so small that he wasn't expected to live. Despite doctors' best efforts, his twin brother died.
But today, Joshua is a healthy four-year-old boy full of energy, who likes karate.
“He is a wonderful little miracle and such a character,” Joshua's mother Amanda proudly said. “He is also proving quite the little sportsman, although I don’t know where he gets that from, because neither of his parents are sporty.”
Joshua spent his first three months in Netcare Blaauwberg Hospital's neonatal intensive care. Amanda confided that the ordeal was difficult. “We lost Joshua's twin brother, but we are so grateful that Joshua survived. This is in no small part due to the expert care he received.”
February 9-16 is Pregnancy Awareness Week in South Africa, with the Department of Health emphasizing prenatal care and doctor checkups.
Almost ten percent of babies born – over 13 million – are born prematurely. Babies born at 24 weeks, like Joshua, only have a 39 percent chance of survival. And Joshua also beat the odds in that he is healthy and robust, while most babies born at 24 weeks are disabled.
Joshua's doctor, neonatologist Dr. Ricky Dippenaar, said that while many “micro-prem” babies are too immature to survive, modern medicine is more often giving them a fighting chance to live.
In the United States, many doctors would have advised Amanda to abort Joshua.