Arlington, Va., Jul 18, 2005 / 22:00 pm
Family and friends of a 26-year old Virginia woman whose body is slowly succumbing to cancer are holding their breath as they wait for the child in her womb to be delivered.
Susan Torres collapsed on May 7th of this year--the day before Mother’s Day--and was rushed to an Arlington hospital where she was diagnosed with stage four melanoma. Doctors say that she is now brain-dead with no hope of recovery.
Doctors and family members still have hope however, for the baby, which continues to grow and kick in her womb.
Torres, a parishioner at St. Rita’s Church in Arlington, recently passed the first 24-week hurdle on July 11th, after which, doctors could give her baby a viable chance of survival, but because the child is apparently smaller than expected, that date was pushed back to July 18th.
“All the days from here on out are a gift,” her brother in law Justin Torres told reporters.
Justin Torres said that the family has raised over $400,000 so far to cover the nearly $1,500-a day medical treatment that insurance will not cover.
He said that donations have been coming in from as far away as India, Japan, Australia and even Iraq, many vaguely addressed to the Torres family or their parish. Justin noted that an airmail package recently came from Japan with $100 cash along with a simple check from a soldier in Iraq.
“It’s just been amazing,” he said.
Nevertheless, the family is reportedly still struggling to stave off bankruptcy and haven’t even begun to figure the cost of neonatal care.
Anyone interested in making a donation or learning more about Susan Torres is encouraged to visit, www.susantorresfund.org