Every life counts has produced a beautiful video filled with moving stories about children born with life limiting conditions. You can watch the video at Everylifecounts.ie.
One father speaks of his daughter Elaine who was referred to as “incompatible with life” but actually lived with her parents for twenty five years. Her parents “found the term ‘incompatible with life’ very hurtful. It’s not a medical diagnosis, it’s a judgement call. Elaine defied all the odds.” He said: “She was our little ray of life. She touched so many.”
The mother of eight year old Kathleen Rose born with trisomy 13, tells viewers that “she lights up our life. We wouldn’t swap her for the world.”
So much misinformation says another mother: “People say babies suffer in the womb. That simply isn’t true. It’s cruel to say these things and wrong to mislead families.”
Kathleen ‘s mother adds : “Or to say that this is abortion for medical reasons when it’s not. Abortion doesn’t make the baby better. it doesn’t cure any medical illness.” She continues: it’s so wrong when parents are pushed toward abortion. This is really abortion for babies with a disability.”
Some children with life limiting conditions live for a few hours, a few days or months. Others defy all expectations and live for years. It bears repeating that incompatible with life is not a medical diagnosis although it is used by some physicians.
Another young mother relates how her child was labelled ‘incompatible with life’ to which the mother says “she was compatible with love.”
