Our daughter's name is Caileigh Lynn DeWitt. She was diagnosed with full trisomy 13 when I was 19 weeks pregnant. It was also found that she had Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, her eyes hadn't formed, she had the cutest extra pinkie, a bilateral cleft lip and palate ,her brain hadn't formed correctly, they weren't sure if she had kidneys, and my umbilical cord only had one vessel.

We were strongly encouraged to terminate my pregnancy which I refused to do. If Caileigh was to die it wasn't going to be because of me. I loved and wanted my child very much no matter what was wrong.

At my check up in my 39th week they couldn't find a heartbeat and an ultrasound later confirmed that Caileigh was gone. I was induced that night and gave birth to my beautiful sleeping angel at 8:34 A.M. March 2nd 2006. She was 4lbs. 4 ozs. and 17 inches long. She is the greatest gift I have ever been granted in life and I carry her with me everywhere I go and in everything I do.

Jonathon DeWitt and Jackie Risner
Marshall, Michigan, USA
fruityyoda1@yahoo.com

Heartprints Photo Retouching

"My daughter had Trisomy 13 ...a disorder they said was not compatible with life. I was then asked to decide if I wanted to continue my pregnancy or terminate it. I was not willing to give up on my daughter a decision the perinatologist made clear they thought was the wrong one...If Caileigh was to die it wasn't going to be because of me....Caileigh is the greatest gift I have ever been granted in life and I carry her with me everywhere I go and in everything I do."

Web page: http://sites.blockstar.com/CaileighsMom/A_Journey_Through_Trisomy13.html
 
Attached are pictures of Jon, Caileigh and I, Caileigh and her cousin Cassie, Caileigh, and Caileigh with her grandma