Free Republic

Elizabeth Santorum was 17 years old when her sister Bella was born. In a new book, "Bella's Gift," that she wrote with her parents, Rick and Karen, she reflects on the uninformed view of love that she had before her youngest sister taught her something more. Santorum's last name is no doubt familiar to you. But this book is not just another reputation-burnishing tome from a perennial presidential candidate. It's about the love of family and what a difference it can make. This one isn't about winning and losing campaigns but life, death and the real, hard work of love....

March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb. That's how the saying goes. And oh, how it rings true for my family. It is Lent, of course, a time for the faithful to pray, sacrifice and fast. And it is in our prayerful reflections and daily acts that we prepare ourselves for Easter and new life. March is also Trisomy Awareness Month. For my family, this has become a time to celebrate the life of our daughter Bella. Bella was born almost five years ago with trisomy 18, a severe genetic condition that I believe makes every...

Full title: Latest scientific 'game-changer' in abortion debate, out this week, will send ended pregnancies soaring but prevent heartache, suffering Raising the prospect of a world without birth defects, a Stanford-created blood test that can detect Down syndrome and two other major genetic defects very early in a woman's pregnancy will be available this week. The simple blood test spares women the risk and heartache of later and more invasive tests like amniocentesis. But it has startling social implications — heralding a not-distant future when many fetal traits, from deadly disease to hair color, are known promptly after conception when...

A number of my friends have children with disabilities. Their problems range from cerebral palsy to Turner's syndrome to Trisomy 18, which is extremely serious. But I want to focus on one fairly common genetic disability to make my point. I'm referring to Trisomy 21, or Down syndrome.   You may already know that Down is not a disease. It's a genetic disorder with a variety of symptoms. Therapy can ease the burden of those symptoms, but Down syndrome is permanent. There's no cure. People with Down syndrome have mild to moderate developmental delays. They have low to middling...

WHEREAS, trisomy is the presence, within a person’s cells, of an extra set of chromosomes instead of the regular two. WHEREAS, the most common trisomies in newborns are trisomy 21 (Down syndrome), trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome), and trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome). WHEREAS, trisomy pregnancies can present unusual complications and can be more at-risk than non-trisomy pregnancies. WHEREAS, the life of every child is precious, regardless of the number of chromosomes he or she may possess. WHEREAS, parents should take advantage of the local support groups and online communities that offer education, encouragement, and counseling for those managing trisomy pregnancies or...

LifeNews.com Note: Liz Townsend is a staff member with the National Right to Life Committee based in Washington and she writes for its newsletter, the NRL News. Ironman triathlons--where athletes swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run 26.2 miles--take strength, dedication, and sacrifice. But Michael Hennessey knows that these qualities are present every day in kids with the chromosomal disorders Trisomy 13 and 18, and he runs the triathlons in their honor."So many people think that these children are 'defective,'" Hennessey told NRL News. "But if you know one of these children you can see they are just...