Susan Torres
Encyclopedia
Susan Michelle Rollin Torres (November 23, 1978 – August 3, 2005) was an American
woman who made headline news all over the world, when she gave birth
to a baby girl while brain dead, with Stage IV Malignant Melanoma, and on a life support
machine.
and raised in Spring, Texas
, a suburb of Houston
. Susan was raised as a Protestant but converted to Catholicism
during her college career.
She was an outstanding student in school
, and she attended the University of Dallas
, a Roman Catholic college, from which she graduated cum laude with a B.S. in Biology
/Environmental Science
. She met Jason Torres and converted to Roman Catholicism. The couple married
and moved to Alexandria, Virginia
. She worked as a vaccine
researcher at the NIH. In 2003, Jason and Susan Torres had their first child, Peter.
Susan had been diagnosed with melanoma
when she was 17 years old, and a senior in High School. The melanoma was removed, and after 8 years she had been declared completely free of the cancer. On May 7, 2005, 17 weeks after she had become pregnant for the second time, she suffered a stroke
, as a consequence of her cancer, which had returned.
She was rushed to the Virginia Hospital Center, where it was discovered that her cancer had spread to her brain
. Her family was told by the doctors
there that she had no chance of survival as she had already reached stage four of her cancer, which is often fatal for cancer patients. Despite the medical prognosis, it was decided to keep her alive, to save her baby by premature delivery before the cancer had spread to her uterus. Doctors set their sights on July 11, by which date the baby would likely have a viable chance of survival.
Her ordeal caused financial and psychological distress to both sets of grandparents, and both the Rollins and Torres families set up a fund in order to raise money to pay for her hospital
bills and for the baby's care. As July 11 arrived, doctors decided to wait a little longer to deliver the baby so it would have a better chance of surviving after birth. Meanwhile, about $400,000 (USD) coming from different parts of the country and the world was collected through the Susan Torres Fund.
On August 2, 2005, baby Susan Ann Catherine Torres was born, through a Caesarean section
(aka "C-section"). Baby Susan was taken to an intensive care unit, but hospital staff as well as Susan's brother-in-law, Justin Torres, announced that Susan had had a "successful delivery" and that the baby was "doing well".
On August 3, 2005, Susan died after her life support machines were disconnected by Virginia Hospital Center's staff. She was 26 years old. On September 11, 2005, baby Susan Ann Catherine Torres died, following surgery for a perforated intestine.
About twelve women worldwide have given birth while on life support machines since 1979, according to Dr. Winston Campbell. Susan was the first to be not only brain dead, but also suffering from advanced malignant melanoma
. Either of the conditions would have been a huge problem, but the combination of the two made the odds of a healthy birth highly unlikely. There was no medical precedent from which to draw experience from for such a case. The attending physicians and nurses are still completely amazed that Susan was able hold on to life long enough to deliver her baby in relatively good health.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
woman who made headline news all over the world, when she gave birth
Birth
Birth is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring. The offspring is brought forth from the mother. The time of human birth is defined as the time at which the fetus comes out of the mother's womb into the world...
to a baby girl while brain dead, with Stage IV Malignant Melanoma, and on a life support
Life support
Life support, in medicine is a broad term that applies to any therapy used to sustain a patient's life while they are critically ill or injured. There are many therapies and techniques that may be used by clinicians to achieve the goal of sustaining life...
machine.
Brief biography
Susan Rollin, was born to Sandra, and Paul Rollin, in Wichita, KansasWichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
and raised in Spring, Texas
Spring, Texas
Spring, Texas is a census-designated place within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston in Harris County, Texas, United States, north of Downtown Houston. The population was 54,298 at the 2010 census...
, a suburb of Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. Susan was raised as a Protestant but converted to Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
during her college career.
She was an outstanding student in school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
, and she attended the University of Dallas
University of Dallas
The University of Dallas is a private, independent Catholic regional university located in Irving, Texas, established in 1956, which is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. According to U.S...
, a Roman Catholic college, from which she graduated cum laude with a B.S. in Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
/Environmental Science
Environmental science
Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physical and biological sciences, to the study of the environment, and the solution of environmental problems...
. She met Jason Torres and converted to Roman Catholicism. The couple married
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
and moved to Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
. She worked as a vaccine
Vaccine
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe or its toxins...
researcher at the NIH. In 2003, Jason and Susan Torres had their first child, Peter.
Susan had been diagnosed with melanoma
Melanoma
Melanoma is a malignant tumor of melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that produce the dark pigment, melanin, which is responsible for the color of skin. They predominantly occur in skin, but are also found in other parts of the body, including the bowel and the eye...
when she was 17 years old, and a senior in High School. The melanoma was removed, and after 8 years she had been declared completely free of the cancer. On May 7, 2005, 17 weeks after she had become pregnant for the second time, she suffered a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
, as a consequence of her cancer, which had returned.
She was rushed to the Virginia Hospital Center, where it was discovered that her cancer had spread to her brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
. Her family was told by the doctors
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
there that she had no chance of survival as she had already reached stage four of her cancer, which is often fatal for cancer patients. Despite the medical prognosis, it was decided to keep her alive, to save her baby by premature delivery before the cancer had spread to her uterus. Doctors set their sights on July 11, by which date the baby would likely have a viable chance of survival.
Her ordeal caused financial and psychological distress to both sets of grandparents, and both the Rollins and Torres families set up a fund in order to raise money to pay for her hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
bills and for the baby's care. As July 11 arrived, doctors decided to wait a little longer to deliver the baby so it would have a better chance of surviving after birth. Meanwhile, about $400,000 (USD) coming from different parts of the country and the world was collected through the Susan Torres Fund.
On August 2, 2005, baby Susan Ann Catherine Torres was born, through a Caesarean section
Caesarean section
A Caesarean section, is a surgical procedure in which one or more incisions are made through a mother's abdomen and uterus to deliver one or more babies, or, rarely, to remove a dead fetus...
(aka "C-section"). Baby Susan was taken to an intensive care unit, but hospital staff as well as Susan's brother-in-law, Justin Torres, announced that Susan had had a "successful delivery" and that the baby was "doing well".
On August 3, 2005, Susan died after her life support machines were disconnected by Virginia Hospital Center's staff. She was 26 years old. On September 11, 2005, baby Susan Ann Catherine Torres died, following surgery for a perforated intestine.
About twelve women worldwide have given birth while on life support machines since 1979, according to Dr. Winston Campbell. Susan was the first to be not only brain dead, but also suffering from advanced malignant melanoma
Melanoma
Melanoma is a malignant tumor of melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that produce the dark pigment, melanin, which is responsible for the color of skin. They predominantly occur in skin, but are also found in other parts of the body, including the bowel and the eye...
. Either of the conditions would have been a huge problem, but the combination of the two made the odds of a healthy birth highly unlikely. There was no medical precedent from which to draw experience from for such a case. The attending physicians and nurses are still completely amazed that Susan was able hold on to life long enough to deliver her baby in relatively good health.