A few weeks before Caydence's open heart surgery, I was on BabyCenter looking at posts on their Down Syndrome board. To prepare myself for Caydence's surgery, I was reading posts by other parents describing how their children's heart surgery went.
I came across a mother whose 4 month old daughter had just had the same surgery Caydence was to have. Unfortunately, her daughter Gabby was having complications and the next day I found out she had passed away. I was devasted for this poor family and obviously very distraught at the thought of Caydence's upcoming procedure. I didn't tell my family about Gabby because I didn't want to scare them. But her story stayed with me and I thought about her often.
This morning I saw a video that Gabby's mother had made in remembrance of her daughter. It's not just about the loss of a beautiful baby. It is also about raising awareness about Down syndrome. 90% of babies with a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome are aborted.
YES... 90%!!!!!
So many unborn babies with Down syndrome are killed simply because their parents are too scared to take care of them. They think that caring for their child will be a burden or are worried about what other people may think of them. They want to take the easy way out.
Every life is precious and every life is sacred. Aborting your child just for the simple fact that they may have Down syndrome is simply ridiculous. But so many people are uneducated and don't even understand what Down syndrome is.
The potential of children with Down syndrome has been underestimated for centuries. But today, with advanced medical care, early intervention, better education, and greater social acceptance, children with Down syndrome are functioning at increasingly higher levels.
As Gabby's mother states, "Every life has a purpose. Gabby's life had a purpose."
To learn more about Down syndrome, check out the book "Babies with Down Syndrome" or visit the National Down Syndrome Society Website www.ndss.org
Thank you for taking the time to read this post and God Bless Baby Gabby!
2 comments:
My heart goes out to Gabby's family and anyone who has ever lost their child. She was so beautiful and it is so sad not all babies make it.
Melissa
Well said! Isn't it a shame that so many parents have robbed themselves of the joy brought by these babies with Down syndrome? Our family life and that of so many others have been blessed by Little J.
By the way Caydence is gorgeous. Her round face and rosebud lips make me want to just squeeze her right up. That's the phrase my 5 year old uses on Little J. "Aww, you're so cute I want to just squeeze you right up."
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