Children With Trisomy 18 Are Valuable: Just Ask Their Families
Children With Trisomy 18 Are Valuable: Just Ask Their Families
Despite what many media outlets said about the Kate Cox case, children with Trisomy 18 are both viable and valuable.
Kate Cox and Media Coverage
Kate Cox sued Texas for permission to abort her baby, who had Trisomy 18. Cox’s doctor told Cox her baby was “incompatible with life.” When Cox asked how long her daughter could survive in the “best case scenario,” the doctor said a week at most. Cox lost her case but traveled to another state to abort her daughter, presumably through a D&E dismemberment abortion.
Cox’s doctor gave her false information, whether due to medical ignorance or willful deceit. There’s no cure for Trisomy 18, but these children can live into their teen years and beyond.
Numerous media outlets gave the statistic that only 5-10% of children with Trisomy 18 reach their first birthday. What they didn’t say was the reason – most hospitals won’t treat these children. According to LifeNews, which quoted an expert on treating trisomy 18, one facility that treats these babies through surgery has a 90% survival rate. I am still in the process of doing more research.
A 2021 study in the Journal of Perinatology calculated a 40-45% survival rate for babies with trisomy 18, though this study grouped babies who were treated with surgery with babies who weren’t treated aggressively and were just given palliative care, so they weren’t expected to survive.
Verity and her Family
Beverly Jacobson wrote an article for Newsweek about her daughter, Verity, who is about seven.
According to Jacobson, Verity is “living an amazing life with Trisomy 18,” and her other children “adore their little sister.”
Jacobson argues that Verity has the same value as any other child. She says:
I don't know how long Verity will live. But I do know she is not in pain. She is not suffering. She is a joyful and happy child. She is not a "drain" on our family. She is our most precious blessing!... I thank God for her.
Verity inspired Jacobson to set up Verity’s Village, an organization that helps families with children with Trisomy 18.
Faith and her Family
Faith Smith has Trisomy 18. In honor of her twelfth birthday, her parents sent a postcard to all the doctors they’ve seen – both the ones who treated Faith and those who refused.
Faith is loud, happy, sweet, and well-loved. She gives the tightest hugs, best kisses, and has the craziest dance moves of us all. She loves swimming, horseback riding, balloons, and playing the piano. Faith’s quality of life is the envy of all that know her.
Faith’s sister Grace wrote:
As much time as Faith has spent in a hospital, she’s spent much more than that traveling, laughing, and loving her life… She loves walking around museums and going on Starbucks runs. Her life is full of fun.
Doctors told Faith’s mother that her other children would be harmed unless she aborted Faith. But Grace says, “It is my complete honor and joy to spend every day caring and spending time with her. It’s the best job I’ve ever had.”
Tabitha and her Family
KTBV News featured the Ensminger family and four-year-old Tabitha, who has Trisomy 18.
Tabitha’s older sister, Esther, mentioned Tabitha in her graduation speech, saying, “My baby sister Tabitha has a superpower. She has Trisomy 18, which means she is the happiest and the most lovable baby ever.” Esther told KTBV News, “[J]ust to see her smile every day, seeing her face – it's just been awesome.”
Tabitha’s mother Sandy said, “Tabitha is just a ray of sunshine all the time. She's just so precious and, like, her smile is contagious. As soon as she starts smiling, watch out, everybody's got a smile.”
The Ensmingers regularly give support to other families beginning their Trisomy 18 journey. In response to the family’s activism, Governor Brad Little declared March Trisomy 18 Awareness Month.
The Ensminger’s goal is to educate people, including medical professionals, about the value of children with Trisomy 18 and the fact that they can survive with proper care. Together, Tabitha and her family are giving hope to others and fighting against the misconceptions about Trisomy 18.
The family is involved in promoting Simon’s Law. Simon’s Law is named after a Kansas child with Trisomy 18 who died after being refused medical care. Simon Law, which has been passed in several states, forbids doctors from refusing medical care to children with disabilities.
Sandy says, “I want people to know that there's hope and [Trisomy 18 is] not something fatal… Hopelessness is fatal.”
Sarah Terzo covered the abortion issue for over 13 years as a professional journalist. In this capacity, she has written nearly a thousand articles about abortion and read over 850 books on the topic. She has been researching and writing about abortion since her years at The College of New Jersey (class of 1997) where she minored in Women’s Studies.
Sarah Terzo is a supporter of the Consistent Life Ethic, a philosophy that values all human life from conception to natural death and opposes war, the death penalty, euthanasia, abortion, and all forms of government-sanctioned violence.