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Mission Statement: Bringing together families who have had a child diagnosed with Trisomy 13 – Patau Syndrome. Whether they are:

  • on the prenatal journey...

  • have a child living presently...

  • or who have had a child stillbirth, or a child who lived briefly or many days, and those further along on their journey.

This amazing community of families, through their own grief and pain, reach out to help others on this very unique journey with Trisomy 13. All these families have lived and are living with a Trisomy 13 diagnosis and the reality of how it changes lives. With Courage, Grace, and Hope they continue on. Experiencing the transformation of grief into “Thanksgiving JOY.”

We believe each new life is a precious miracle and encourage growing in love to embrace life from conception to natural death.

This site focuses on bringing together the families of children diagnosed with Patau Syndrome. Also called Trisomy 13 Syndrome, having a third (extra) number 13 chromosome, occurs about 1 in 5,000 live births. Trisomy 13 children have multiple abnormalities. Some include heart defects, brain defects, cleft lip, cleft palate. The most severe are visual abnormalities, omphalocele, proboscis and holoprosencephaly. Because of the many abnormalities, we believe all of these children are survivors if they reach their mothers arms. They are true miracles of life.

Many only survive outside their mothers womb a few short minutes, hours or days. While others can go home and survive months. Sadly, many of the children with Trisomy13 (Patau Syndrome) do not reach their first birthday.

Each of these families were eagerly awaiting the arrival of a much wanted baby. All of them loving and making dreams for their future, when either told prenatally or at birth, that their child had an “incompatible with life” diagnosis. They’ve all had to make the heartbreaking choices that no parents dream they will ever need to make. The choice to: Terminate the pregnancy, continue with the pregnancy and bring to term, hospice care, pallative care or push for early medical intervention and on-going medical treatment.

For the families here the choice was clear: with Courage, Faith, Hope and Love they would embrace what was ahead of them. Many found this site and knew they could also create beautiful moments with their precious child, creating their own unique journey – living and growing in love...

Patau's Syndrome can be overwhelming for most parents in the early stages of this diagnosis. Medical Professionals who are not current with the ever changing and fast paced world of the Internet are still telling families that there is no hope, when you can see within these pages that there is always hope, if even for brief moments.

Those moments are cherished by each and every family who has embraced their child with this poor prenatal diagnosis. Becoming your child's best advocate, parents, family, and friends can find HOPE as they search for support and meet survivors. With the many living children stories, photos, slideshows, and videos, you can see these children who do survive are happy.

The first year can typically be rough but there are many trisomy support groups, resources and informational links to provide help. This site shows you the reality of a trisomy 13 diagnosis. With the many support resources provided here, you can make well-informed choices for the future medical treatment of your child as you move forward on your own trisomy13 journey.

Also by remembering our Treasured Trisomy 13 children we provide a place where the living memories and special moments are seen in photos and can be shared with others. As you can see, each child is a Unique Precious Child, worthy of receiving and giving love, inspiring all those they meet. ~~ThereseAnn (Natalia's mom and site facilitator)

 

Click here to download printable LivingWithTrisomy13.org "awareness cards."

Living with Trisomy 13
Focused on prayerful support and gifts of love to those touched by a Trisomy 13 child.
Inspired By An Angel
Attn: LivingWithTrisomy13
15802 Springdale St.. #68
Huntington Beach, CA  92649

info@LivingWithTrisomy13.org

 

 

Text and graphics © LivingWithTrisomy13.org 2005-2007 All information found on this site was submitted to us directly by the families and used on this site with their permission.
Cover photo of Pamela Sullivan & her precious daughter Maria, copyright Pamela Sullivan 2004, used with permission.
If We Hold On Together  Song Copyright 2002 by Patricia Welch, Ltd. All rights reserved.   Used with permission.
 
*Disclaimer
All material on this site reflects our personal journey with raising a Trisomy 13 child. It is not meant to replace any medical advise of a professional familiar with your specific condition. The personal journeys of any parents on this site are only their opinions and their own journey with having a Trisomy 13 child. You should consult with your own physician or other medical professional regarding the opinions or recommendations expressed within these pages as to your own child's symptoms and medical condition.
 

Looking for ALL families who’ve had a trisomy child of any number. Whether you terminated, miscarriage, had a stillbirth, live birth - living or deceased. Including adoptive and Foster parents. Please fill out the TRIS survey  to help update the medical literature and to improve the quality and availability of medical care. Tracking Rare Incidence Syndromes (TRIS)  Click here to add your information

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