St. Gianna, pray for this mother.
Posted on 07/28/2006 11:59:32 AM PDT by NYer
Buenos Aires, Jul. 28, 2006 (CNA) - The Catholic weekly “Cristo Hoy” in Argentina has launched a prayer crusade for a mother who decided to postpone treatment for cancer in order to save the life of her ninth child.
The newspaper reports that Laura Figeroa is in the terminal stage of her illness, the diagnosis is brain metastasis, considered irreversible.” Two weeks ago, on July 12th, Figeroa gave birth to her son Pedro at only 27 weeks. The baby weighed just 2.4 pounds and was placed immediately in intensive care, where he is struggling with kidney and heart problems.
The baby’s grandmother told Cristo Hoy, “We are all very united in this struggle and praying hard.” She has spent all of her time helping to care for Laura and for the other children, who “are anxious to know the newest member of their family and hope to soon have in their hands the picture promised to them by the pediatrician. We invite all our readers to unite in prayer for this family and to pray especially for the health of this model of a mother and for her baby,” the article states.
Laura Alejandra Figeroa is 39 years old and her story has captured the hearts of the entire country of Argentina. Several months ago, she told Cristo Hoy that she made her decision in order to show her love “to this child that is coming in the same way that I have shown it to the other children I have. I want my child to know that I love him and that I will always love him, that I will give my life for him if necessary.”
Last March she was diagnosed with breast cancer and was told she should begin chemotherapy - which would have posed serious risks to her unborn child. She made the decision to postpone treatment until after birth.
Figeroa explained that she made her decision in order to put her son’s life first. “Of course I don’t intend to neglect my health, as I have the responsibility to protect my own life and that of my baby, but nevertheless, I avoid everything that, while helpful to my own health, might be detrimental to that of my child,” she said.
She also hoped that her testimony would help those who defend life from the moment of conception. “Today, more than ever, there are people who are against life, who want to legalize abortion, which I consider an abominable crime, and therefore I ask that this testimony encourage those who read it to defend the unborn. I would like all women who are pregnant to remember that no situation, no matter how difficult, justifies taking the life of the baby in their womb. Not even in cases of rape or life of the mother,” Figeroa stated.
Prayers for this woman and her baby to both be cured by God Almighty. What an awesome testimony, Laura.
Are there saints on Earth? I believe she would qualify! What a lovely and courageous testimony to life.
prayers for Laura and her children. Jesus hear us; Jesus graciously hear us.
The Lord be with her.
God bless this woman for her motherly love and selfless act.
God be with her, prayers for healing.
Prayers that she be healed quickly and completely.
Of course! Her story models that of St. Gianna who was canonized 2 years ago.
My prayers are with the family, but these stories make me very, very uncomfortable as I think that the lauding of the mother's decision effectively treats two lives as unequal. Just as we oppose abortion because it puts the life of the mother above the life of the child, lauding this choice is putting the life of the child above the mother, and I think that's an equally inappropriate message to send. Each life is equally valuable, and the loss of either is a tragedy.
I was opposed to the canonization of St. Gianna. Basically, I do not believe that her choice NOT to have chemotherapy is any more laudable than the choice of a woman who decides to have chemotherapy, which may or may not put the baby she is carrying at risk, but will give her a better chance to survive to mother her other children. There are doctors who now do chemotherapy on pregnant women and have successfully saved both the mother and the child. I believe MD Anderson pioneered this treatment.
I am aware of Jesus' "no greater love" statement, but I don't know that I can say with any certainty that He would look with favor on leaving eight children motherless when the mother has other morally acceptable options. I think there is an argument to be made that she has already pledged her life, and given her life as commanded by Jesus to her children -- all of them -- not just to one.
I know that many will oppose my comments, so, I guess...flame away.
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