Susan Torres update

From the Catholic Herald:

It has been nearly eight weeks since Susan Torres ... was rushed to the hospital after she suffered a stroke caused by melanoma cancer. For eight weeks, despite her brain damage, she has been closely monitored and kept alive for the sake of her unborn baby. And after eight weeks, baby Torres is alive and kicking — quite literally.

According to Mercy Schlapp, a friend of the Torres family, Jason Torres felt his child kick for the first time on June 20.

But the battle for the child’s life is far from over. Twenty-five weeks gestation is the earliest that a baby can survive an early delivery, and this is Susan’s 21st week of pregnancy. The family hopes to wait until 30 weeks before delivering. Right now, the cancer has spread to Susan’s lymph nodes, but the baby is in no immediate danger, said Schlapp.

The Torres family is doing "well — given the circumstances" said Fathers Denis Donahue and Jerry Wooton.

"They’re doing amazingly well, and it’s all due to their Catholic faith," said Father Donahue, pastor of St. Rita Parish in Alexandria. "That’s what’s holding them together."

According to Father Donahue, the challenge is to keep her alive one day at a time. Father Wooton, parochial vicar of St. Leo the Great Parish in Fairfax, said Susan had several fevers lately. The doctors have been able to reduce the fever, and the little one is still doing well.

Go to SusanTorresFund.org for more information and to send in a donation to help with their medical costs. Remember any little bit will help. There are some 290 some odd million people in the US so even if only a fraction gave $5 or $10, it would make a big impact. You can be a part of that impact.

Previous coverage:
Join me in helping the Torres family

Coverage: Michelle Malkin, Insight Scoop

Posted by Danny Carlton at June 24, 2005 09:33 AM