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Anencephaly Stories
Rio de Janeiro, Aug 5, 2008
/ 04:44 pm (CNA).-
During her short life of one
year, eight months and twelve days, Marcela de Jesus
Ferreira made more friends than any other child of her
age. Some 1,500 attended her funeral and accompanied
her casket to thecemeteryofPatrocinio Paulista, her
hometown, where a street will be named in her memory.
Marcela de Jesus Ferreira was
born onNovember 20, 2006. At four months of development,
doctors diagnosed her with anencephaly, a birth defect
in which the baby is born with a partial or non-existent
brain. Babies born with this condition usually
survive for only hours or days.
Marcela’s birth and struggle
for life coincided with a heated debate on the legalization
of abortion inBrazilin cases of anencephaly. Abortion
supporters, who for months insisted that the condition
only causes pain and suffering to babies, were not able
to stifle the testimony of Casilda Galante Ferreira,
the 36 year-old mother of Marcela.
“Everybody suffers, but
she doesn’t belong to me, she belongs to God and
I am taking care of her here,” she told journalists
who interviewed her after giving birth. “Every
second of her life” is precious, she said.
“I consider her life to be a miracle so great
that I am going to wait until God decides when to take
her.” That moment came on August 1.
According to Brazilian media,
Marcela died of cardiac arrest from complications due
to pneumonia. Hundreds attended her funeral, and her
parents decided to carry her casket to its final resting
place. Prayers and songs of joy accompanied the
procession, as friends and family members took turns
respectfully carrying her casket to the cemetery.
Casilda said she tried to be
the best mother she could. “God came to
get her. It was her time. I am happy because she
didn’t suffer much and she lived surrounded by
love,” she said before saying her final goodbyes
to little Marcela.
The support, information and encouragement provided by the PPFL parents is not meant to take the place of medical advice by a medical professional. Any specific questions about care should be directed to a health care professional familiar with the situation.
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