By Angela E. Pometto
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 5/26/05)

On May 7, the day before Mother’s Day, Susan Torres, a member of St. Rita Parish in Alexandria, was rushed to Arlington Hospital for what was originally believed to be a brain aneurism. It was later discovered that she has melanoma cancer in her brain. The doctors would have taken her off life support and proclaimed her dead after the first inspection were she not pregnant. Now, they are keeping Susan alive for the sake of the new life within her.

And that life is fighting to survive. On May 18, a sonogram showed a normal baby, kicking and moving about in its mother’s womb.

“We have hope,” said Karen Torres, Susan’s mother-in-law.

Susan is in her 16th week of pregnancy, and the goal is to deliver at 25 weeks, the bare minimum for a premature baby to survive.

“Every indication from the doctors is that the fight for Susan is already over,” said Jason Torres, Susan’s husband. “Now, we’re fighting for the little one.”

Susan has suffered a significant amount of brain damage. She is kept on a respirator and all of her vital signs are closely monitored. Medicines that would help regulate Susan’s body temperature and blood pressure aren’t being used for fear that they would harm the baby.

“The entire body is the clothing of the soul, and the heart is the anchor,” said Karen, a member of All Saints Parish in Manassas. “Her heart has never stopped. Susan is fighting for her baby.”

Karen believes the family need a Lazarus-like miracle to get through this. While the family, of course, hopes to have both the mother and child survive, the odds are stacked highly against them.

Karen has researched information on pregnant mothers who had either brain damage or cancer, but did not find any with both. If Susan had just one of these defects, the odds of her surviving would still be bad, but since she has both, the chances are miniscule.

“It’s so hard to watch someone suffer,” said Karen.

Jason said that he has received letters from people from Maine to California who have somehow found about the situation and offered prayers for the family. He is grateful to these faceless supporters who are praying with him for his wife and his child.

“Please, every person who can spare a prayer, pray for Susan and her baby,” Karen entreated.

The Torres families are long-time members of the Arlington Diocese. Jason is an alumnus of Seton School. Susan converted to Catholicism nearly five years ago after meeting Jason at the University of Dallas. Jason and Susan were married three years ago and have one son, Peter, who is nearly 2 years old.

According to Jason, Peter knows that something is wrong. He continues to ask where his mother is but is taking it as well as can be expected.

Jason has found much support from the parish and community.

“I have almost as many priests as I have doctors, and they’re more useful,” said Jason. Father Paul Scalia from St. Rita Parish and Father Jerry Wooton from St. Leo the Great Parish in Fairfax, where Jason is a member of the Knights of Columbus, have been especially helpful to the family. They have visited the hospital and anointed Susan several times.

“The only important part is that there’s a little life involved,” he said. “Even in the face of hopelessness that little life is worth fighting for. So we’re going to fight.”

To donate funds to help the family cover medical expenses, send check to Susan M. Torres Fund, P.O. Box 34105, Washington, D.C., 20043-0105. A new Website has been established for news and financial support of Susan. It can be found at www.susantorresfund.org.