Santorum daughter admitted to hospital

INQUIRER STAFF
Posted: January 28, 2012

The three-year-old daughter of Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum has been admitted to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the candidate has cancelled his Sunday morning campaign events to be at her side.

Santorum campaign spokesman Hogan Gidley said Saturday night that the former Pennsylvania senator and his wife, Karen, were with Bella at CHOP. Gidley said Santorum planned to return to campaigning as soon as possible in Florida, where the Republican primary is Tuesday.

Bella Santorum has Trisomy 18, a genetic condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 18th chromosome. Bella was not expected to survive until her first birthday and concerns over her health have canceled previous Santorum campaign events.

During his campaign, Santorum and his wife have spoken openly about the challenges and rewards of raising a child with such a condition.

The Santorums have six other children; they lost a baby boy, Gabriel, shortly after his birth in 1996. Bella was born in 2008; two years later, Santorum wrote about her in an Inquirer column.

"All children are a gift that comes with no guarantees," he wrote. "While Bella's life may not be long, and though she requires our constant care, she is worth every tear."

Bella, whose full name is Isabella Maria Santorum, has become a symbol of his pro-life stance, as he claimed that most infants diagnosed in the womb with Trisomy 18 are aborted.

The Santorums have been frequent visitors to CHOP with their daughter.

Santorum had been scheduled to appear on NBC's "Meet the Press" and to attend church in Miami. He was in the Philadelphia area as recently as Friday night to attend a campaign fundraiser in Chester County.

This article includes information from the Associated Press.

 

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