Living With Trisomy 13 NEWS

1. Trisomy in the NEWS - Bella Santorum's Fight
2. Trisomy 18 is a genetic anomaly occurring when a child has three chromosomes, rather than two, in the 23 pairs of human chromosomes
3. Rick Santorum may have abandoned his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, but families impacted by the rare genetic disorder that afflicts his 3-year-old daughter say he won’t be easily forgotten.
   
4. “During the pregnancy and early on, my local contacts and my online community - that got me through things,” Budd said. “Now, I’m at the point where Rebekah is fairly healthy and stable, and so I spend a lot of time helping other families that are just beginning this journey, or who have never known that there is a big community to help them.”
   "Kellett, the parent of a child with trisomy 18 who died earlier, said Santorum’s presence in the race was good for families like hers and the ones she advocates for. She’s met the Santorum family more than once, and said she connects them with families she works with.
   “The Santorums should be congratulated for the sacrifice they made,” Kellett said. “I know it wasn’t easy having their daughter and all the demands of running a presidential campaign. They, I think, should just be commended for that. Boy, in my eyes, they really are American heroes.”
   
   
   Mary Kellett founded the Minnesota-based group Prenatal Partners for Life which focuses on connecting families and children with trisomy related disorders with resources, Kellett said. "She estimates the group has provided assistance to children in all 50 states and 27 countries."
   
   
   Susan Budd works with the New Trisomy Advocacy Group TAG VIDEOS