Rick Santorum withdrew from the Republican presidential race on April 10 to focus on his daughter three-year-old Isabella Santorum, who was born with Trisomy 18, a fatal chromosome abnormality. She has beaten the survival odds for kids with the disorder, The Washington Post reports. She was recently reported to have pneumonia for the second time this year.  Trisomy 18 survivors are prone to common and reoccurring infections.

Approximately 60 percent of newborns with Trisomy 18, also known as Edwards Syndrome, die just days after birth. The disorder occurs when kids have three copies of chromosome 18, instead of two. Unfortunately, only 5 to 10 percent of said children survive a year, and of those survivors, only 1 percent live to be 10 years old. Trisomy 18 is one of the three most common chromosomal abnormalities — luckily, it is very rare.

Some characteristics found in babies with Trisomy 18 are heart defects, kidney problems, clenched hands, delayed growth, small head and low- set ears, trisomy18.org reports. It is estimated that 1 out of every 3,ooo babies are born with the disorder. The cause of the condition is still unknown, however it can be found before birth with a microscopic examination of amniotic fluid and an ultrasound. Of babies that are diagnosed, three-quarters are miscarried or stillborn in the first 12 weeks of gestation and birth.

Unfortunately, there is nothing parents can do to prevent the illness from occurring.

Rick Santorum’s devotion to his family is so heart-warming — we wish his daughter the best!

HollyMoms, are you familiar with Trisomy 18?

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