Carrie DeKlyen would not abort her baby to remain in clinical trial
By Dave Andrusko
This picture of Carrie DeKlyen was taken prior to her suffering a stroke in August which left her unconscious.She gave birth to her sixth child on Wednesday at University Hospital in Ann Arbor. Diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor in April, she refused to abort her sixth child in order to remain in a clinical trial. Photo provided by Sonya Nelson
There is courage and there is courage. And there is faith and there is faith.
Carrie and Nick DeKlyen of Wyoming, Michigan have a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over of both.
While in a coma and suffering from Glioblastoma multiforme, a highly malignant brain cancer, Carrie gave birth to Life Lynn DeKlyen at 5:30 p.m. this past Wednesday, at University Hospital in Ann Arbor. Sonya Nelson, DeKlyen’s sister-in-law, said the baby weighed 1 pound, 4 ounces.
Life Lynn was delivered at 24 weeks and 5 days “after doctors opted to try to deliver the baby, believing it was her only chance of survival,” according to reporter Martin Slagter. “The baby has been transported to the neonatal intensive care unit at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.”
The baby was very sick on Wednesday but “My brother said the doctors are extremely pleased with how the baby is doing,” Nelson told Slagter.
Already the mother of five, Mrs. DeKlyen was diagnosed with Glioblastoma multiforme in April. Shortly after surgery was performed to remove the tumor, DeKlyen was accepted into a clinical trial at University Hospital for treatment.
“Two weeks later, however, the family’s plans were altered when it was discovered she was pregnant with her sixth child,” Slagter wrote. “Doctors said DeKlyen could remain in the clinical trial, but that she would need to terminate the pregnancy.”
The family decided instead to try to save the baby.
In August, Mrs. DeKlyen suffered a stroke. She has not regained consciousness.
“We are a family of faith,” Nelson told reporter Joe LaFurgey of WOOD-TV. “And so we are just believing that God’s plan for Carrie is to be healed. And if he chooses to heal her here or in heaven, we will still trust in Him.”
According to LaFurgey, her family has one wish
“We want her to wake up,” said Nelson.
“We would love for her to be able to see this gift that she gave. “She gave this child the gift of life,” she added.
Slagter end his story with this:
The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help ease the family’s financial burden as DeKlyen’s husband, Nick, has stepped away from his job to be by his wife’s side during radiation and chemotherapy treatments. The family has received nearly $77,000 toward its $100,000 goal