Posted on 04/06/2014 9:21:56 AM PDT by Kaslin
Some movies have powerful plotlines. Others have intriguing characters. The documentary “40 Weeks” has both. Director Christopher Henze follows Elizabeth Joice during her pregnancy, in which she finds out her cancer had returned from years earlier and makes the remarkable decision to put her daughter Lily’s life over her own. Here’s a brief description about her incredible story of self-sacrifice:
Just one month after finding out she was pregnant in June 2013, Elizabeth’s doctors found a tumor in her lung. They removed it with surgery, but because she was pregnant they could not give her the full body MRI scan she needed to see if her cancer was spreading or not.
Because of this, Lily was delivered almost two months early in January 2014 via C-section.
Sadly, it was too late for Elizabeth. The cancer had spread almost immediately into her second lung, her heart, and her abdomen. Though she fought the cancer for six weeks after her daughter was born, Elizabeth ultimately lost the battle on March 9.
I can’t begin to explain the range of emotions Joice must have endured as she heard the heartbreaking news her cancer had returned. But, it only makes her decision all the more profound. Her daughter was more important than the diagnosis.
This story is comparable to one of the few instances in which Hollywood producers have broadcast a pro-life message on television. In an episode of the Fox program “House,” entitled “Fetal Position,” House's patient is a mother who faces a death sentence if she continues with her pregnancy. But, like Joice, she refuses to kill her child. Dr. House insists she abort and calls her baby a “fetus” throughout the episode. But, the mother is stubborn. So, House reluctantly performs surgery to try and fix the child, and in one beautiful moment the baby reaches from its mother’s stomach and grasps House’s finger. He is clearly moved by the touch. He even finally refers to the unborn child as a “baby” by the episode’s end. The final outcome was a bit different than that of Joice, as both mother and child make it through pregnancy safely. But, the TV episode is just another example of a mother willing to put her child’s life over her own.
Life is the most miraculous gift on earth – and Joice gave it to her daughter twice. I only hope Lily grows up knowing and appreciating what a courageous mother she had.
Here’s a small clip from “40 Weeks” in which Joice describes the joy of pregnancy:
'40 Weeks' Shares Stories About Pregnancy
ABC US News | ABC Business News
This is what true motherhood is about. Life-of-the-mother excuse is a farce for self absorbed sluts who want to kill their babies because they think their womb is their personal production factory.
Magnificent.
No Greater Love is the Love of God for his Children though Elizabeth Joice’s Love for Lily comes close enough to be measured as God’s Love.
A long time ago, in Spain, my mom used to take me to this doctor and his wife was the receptionist. One day she was not there. My mom explained to me that she had been told that she could not survive another pregnancy and delivery. I was never told what the problem was and, like I said, it happened a long time ago and Spain was not known for the medical care. To make a long story short, the lady got pregnant and went ahead and had the baby. She did not make it. I have always remembered her as the example of motherly love! And yes, I know, she left a couple of children and a baby behind, but no matter how sad it was, it cannot be compared to murdering an innocent baby!
When I’m in my final hour looking back ... I hope I had a simple love like that.
Elizabeth’s story is rare, but not exceptional
France’s first female military fighter pilot made a similar courageous decision, to forego cancer treatment in order to give birth to a child. Her son was born at 5.5 months into her pregnancy and survived
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caroline_Aigle
I had a friend who made a similar decision to forego treatment for an aggressive leukemia while pregnant- but miraculously she and baby both survived and last I heard she was a grandmother. Her survival made medical history according to the military docs who treated her
There is no love greater than like this
Very well said.
What a great outcome
Every pregnancy carries the risk of death.
Anything for my kids.. Including my life if it means theirs continues.
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What a touching memory.
Another good example.
Every day, hour, minute carries the risk of death.
bookmark for later reading
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