Stories of Hope: Moms Sacrificing to Give Birth to Children

International   |   Marianna Trzeciak   |   Jul 13, 2011   |   6:02PM   |   Washington, DC

Headlines regarding the Casey Anthony tot mom murder trial are giving way to news of mothers who have sacrificed dearly for their children.

From Italy to the United States Dr. Gianna Emanuela Molla is on tour this month with a message of love in the practice of medicine.   Dr. Molla is the beneficiary of her mother’s refusal to treat a fatal tumor with a hysterectomy during pregnancy.  That mother, Dr. Gianna Beretta Molla, died in 1962, days after giving birth to her namesake.   Dr. Beretta Molla was canonized in the Catholic Church in 2004 on the basis of her heroic virtue.

After visiting the offices of Priests for Life and bestowing that Staten Island-based pro-life charity with a relic of her mother, Dr. Gianna Emanuela Molla will attend the 7:00 p.m. Mass celebrated by Fr. Frank Pavone today, July 12th, at Our Lady of Czestochowa Church in Doylestown, PA.  The American tour will conclude with a day-long conference on July 23rd in Kansas City, KS, where the doctor will speak along with Abp. Joseph Naumann, Bobby Schindler and Suzanne Vitadamo, among others.  See www.priestsforlife.org and www.StGiannaPhysicians.org for details of the Mass and public speaking schedule.

From the UK comes news that a 15-year old girl who was on the Pill but became pregnant has brought her child to term despite astounding obstacles.  Abby Ryan realized that the Pill had not worked while she was on antibiotics and that she had become pregnant by her 17-year old boyfriend, Jake Faulkner.  The couple felt that abortion was wrong and decided that Jake would work part-time and attend college while Abby would live with her mother and finish school.  Both parents would be involved in the child’s life.  Abby’s mother, aged 42, also agreed to make great sacrifices, as she is a single mother with three more children younger than Abby.

Abby’s 20-week ultrasound indicated that  the son she was carrying had swelling on the brain and that the boy had an 80 percent chance of severe disability.  The doctors advised Abby to abort, but she refused.  Little Riley was born last June with club feet, webbed fingers, and enlarged cavities in the brain and had to be put on a ventilator.  However,  he was discharged the following week.   Riley was diagnosed recently with Moebius syndrome and will take longer to learn things, such as learning to walk.  Abby suffered numerous trials in getting him to feed as a newborn, but was assisted by her mother and Jake.  Abby intends to study beauty at college in order to avoid dependency upon the government; meanwhile, she and Jake are discussing plans to move out together on their own.  All family members take delight in little Riley’s happy babbling and his efforts in physiotherapy sessions. From Emily Retter at www.closeronline.co.uk.

In Saudi Arabia in June a “brain-dead” mother was delivered by caesarean section of a healthy baby boy at 28 weeks of pregnancy.  The mother has been in her condition since the 11th week of pregnancy.  From Habib Toumi at www.gulfnews.com.

On the north side of Minneapolis last week mom Shawnee Twiet ran three blocks to save her 15 and 4-year old daughters who were attacked by a girl gang on the pretext of misappropriated sunglasses.  The elder daughter had alerted Twiet by cell phone.  The gang left the mother and her elder daughter with bloody eyes and other injuries, including the logo of a shoe stamped upon the mother’s body.  The younger daughter suffered fewer physical injuries, but wakes up with nightmares.  Twiet is calling for the public to report the gang, not so that they will suffer jail, but rather in the hope of their receiving community service time in order to learn compassion for others.

From Leesburg, VA, the Hyperemesis Education and Research (HER) Foundation is in its last year-and-a-half of a 5-year collaborative study with USC and UCLA to determine hereditary markers for hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), which is excessive morning sickness which can lead to death of the mother and child.  A recent post on the HER website’s memorial page reads “In Memory of Bella … I am sorry I gave up.”  This post summarizes the feelings of women who have aborted wanted babies due to fears of impending death of the mother while the baby is not yet viable on his or her own. HG is a leading cause of elective abortion in women who actually wanted to birth their children.  The HER Foundation does not take a stand on abortion, but all its efforts are directed at preventing the perceived need for abortion due to HG.   See www.hyperemesis.org for more information on HG, including how to help a suffering mother now.

From the UK  comes word of another website dedicated to raising awareness of birth trauma (BT) and its post-traumatic stress, with efforts to prevent BT and to support families in need due to BT.  See. www.birthtraumassociation.org.uk.

LifeNews.com Note:  Marianna Trzeciak, Esq., is a homeschooling mother of three who contributed to amicus briefs in the Rule 60 motions to overturn Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton. She initiated 40 Days for Life—Burlington, Vermont.  Now residing in Texas with her family, Ms. Trzeciak writes and speaks regarding pro-life issues.