My life, for yours
From Fox News:
Expectant mother Lorraine Allard learned the devastating news that she was in the advanced stages of liver cancer when she was four months pregnant, according to the Daily Mail.
Allard, of St. Olaves in the U.K., had a choice: Delay treatment to save her baby, or terminate the pregnancy to save herself.
She chose the former, waiting until the fetus was viable before scheduling a Caesarean section.
"If I am going to die, my baby is going to live," Allard told her husband, Martyn, according to the Mail.
The baby came a week early and Allard, 33, gave birth on Nov. 18 to a healthy but premature boy she named Liam.
Exactly two months later, Allard died. She'd begun chemotherapy just after her son's birth. But in the end, it was too late.
Doctors believe Allard had bowel cancer that had gone undetected for years, eventually spreading to her liver. She realized something was wrong after she began suffering from stomach cramps, and tests revealed that her liver was covered with malignant tumors, the Mail reported.
"The doctors said they couldn't do anything because she was pregnant," Martyn Allard, 34, told the Mail. "She told them straight away they were not going to get rid of it. She'd have lost the will to fight."
The courageous and selfless mother was able to get out of bed and hold her tiny son several times beside his incubator before her death. Liam is the Allards' fourth child and first boy; his sisters are Leah, 10; Amy, 8; and Courtney, 20 months."Lorraine was positive all the way through," Martyn Allard told the paper. "She had strength for both of us. I can't begin to describe how brave she was. Towards the end we knew things weren't going well, but she was overjoyed that she had given life to Liam."
I don't know all the circumstances surrounding this situation, but I couldn't help but think what a beautiful picture this mother's sacrifice was of what Christ did for us. He gave His life so that we might have Eternal life.
"Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." 1 John 3:16Though we might not actually ever face a situation like Lorraine did, we all have opportunities every day to die to self - to encourage our weary husband when we feel completely drained, to get up in the middle of the night with that crying baby when we are already exhausted, to reach out and lift up a needy person when we ourselves are struggling.
When we look at the Cross, how can we not rejoice in opportunities to follow in Christ's steps and say "my life, for yours"? Death brings life. Dying to self, even in little ways, can bear exponential fruit.
"Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." John 12:24
I give up all my own plans and purposes, all my own desires and hopes,
and accept Thy will for my life.
I give myself, my life, my all, utterly to Thee to be Thine forever.
Fill me and seal me with Thy Holy Spirit.
Use me as Thou wilt.
Send me where Thou wilt.
Work out Thy whole will in my life
at any cost, now and forever.
- Betty Scott Stam,
missionary to China who was martyred with her husband by Communists in 1949
Labels: Faith
posted by Crystal Paine at 12:09 AM
22 Comments:
That's so beautiful... thank you very much for sharing this story. Even when she knew she'd probably give her own life, this woman did the right thing. We can all learn from that. :)
Wow, Crystal that is truly beautiful! I will be praying for the Allard family.
Take care,
Leigh
Thank you for this post! What a heart touching story. An example of what a mother should be.
When I read the FOX news report, I was bothered by the use of "it" in the quote, "She told them straight away that they were not going to get rid of it." Interestingly, when I clicked the "Click Here to Read More on This Story from the Daily Mail" link at the end of FOX's report and read their version, they quoted the father as saying, "She told them straight away that they were not going to get rid of the baby."
Thank you Crystal for finding and posting this. What a beautiful kind of love that mother had!I also want to thank you for being prolife and for discussing this subject.
God bless,
Elaine
Lovely story!
I had to dress up for a saints party this past October, and I dressed up as St. Gianna Molla. She was an Italian doctor that died in the 1960's after refusing to abort her baby when they found out that she had cancer. Her daughter (also named Gianna) was even able to be present when she was named as a saint.
I am glad, too, that you address this issue. Thank you for sharing this story, so beautiful and touching. I also shared a story on my blog of a woman who was commited to life for her unborn baby. Her choice changed my life forever. www.rejoicinginhope.blogspot.com
What an amazing story. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for sharing this!! We simply do not know WHY GOD spares some and not others. This one is a very hard one to understand indeed!! But what a brave mama!! And bless that poor grieving family!!
Speaking of sparing lives, I am a walking miracle myself as of Thursday afternoon. On my way to get groceries in town, I was on the highway when a loaded semi Mack truck hit me, spun me around, and I ended up plastered against his grill, him pushing me for at least a quarter mile while he slowly used the rain soaked soil of the median to gradually slow us down. He was not aware that he hit me, thinking his load had shifted and was shocked to find my car there when he exited his truck. Onlookers came, many to see if I was ok. We were going between 55 and 60 mph when it happened. I walked away!! So far as I can tell I am doing fine. I have gone to get my back adjusted and that helped a great deal. But walking on air, my dears, walking on air!! It was not my day to go for some reason. I have been under a lot of attacks from the adversary lately...and I am going to do all I can to intrude upon his territory!! I now have personal experience to share. I cannot explain it all rationally. Except the angels of our MOST HIGH GOD were working overtime. I am so grateful, and so happy!! We can go about our business, doing as we feel led to do, knowing that HE will not allow our foot to be moved, until HE decides to take us!! And by the way, ladies...I reacted as I had been taught...
when your car goes into a spin or out of control, DO NOT BRAKE...try to with the steering, get back under control BEFORE breaking. That may have helped save my life.
I read that story with tears, Crystal. I loved your title. That is what motherhood is really about- My life for yours.
This happened to a young pregnant mom at our church some 8+ years ago. Her story was published in Focus on the Family. Her CHOICE of her child's life over hers was more of a witness to me than all the sermons or inspiring words I have every heard put together. She had a young son at the time and an incredible man of God husband. They knew their "goodbyes" were temporary. The phrase "what a hope we have in Jesus" really came to life for me...I believe this woman not only gave her life for her unborn daughter but for those her story brought to faith in Jesus Christ and a deeper love for Him from believers as the Gospel message came alive through her. No need to ask "Why?" did this happen. I know why.
Hi. I just followed this link from another blog. What an amazing story! Thank you for sharing it with us- I'm so glad I stopped by.
Thank you for sharing this story. It brought me to tears. Her family is in my prayers.
I am so torn about this... I am completely against abortion, and yet this story breaks my heart because there are three other children that were left motherless... for the rest of their lives. I understand her beliefs, yet her three other children were so tragically affected by her decision. Wow. I just don't know how I feel... and I am absolutely prolife.
That is a truly touching story and a good reminder to me to stop feeling so sorry for myself and serve my family! Thank you.
Thank you for sharing this story. I believe God's love is so huge as to be unfathomable, but I think in a very small way we can grasp something of the breathtaking in the selfless love of a mother for her child.
Wow! That is so sad and beautiful at the same time.
Jen,
She had tumors all over her liver. Treatment might have bought her a few months, but I think it is highly unlikely that it would have "cured" her. She would've been gone and so would their little brother.
Yep. She made the right decision.
-Zan
Jen, certainly we can feel grieved for all of her children, but decisions such as this must be based on the law of God and not on our feelings. She did what was right and trusted the Lord with her life, which is what we all must do. God will not fail to provide for every need of those motherless children. He did not fail to see how it would affect them when He chose to take her and He will not forget them.
What if she had chosen to abort? Would she have been guaranteed a long life? Would her children have been guaranteed their mother? Certainly not!
On a personal note, my MIL was also told to abort my husband. She said no and trusted God with their lives. In this instance He chose to spare her life. Because of her obedience I now have a wonderful husband and four beautiful children... Also, I should add to go along with the above comment that my husband has six siblings all of whom lost one parent and he is the result of the marriage of his parents after they were widowed.... All of this is not to say that you should choose life because I have fuzzy feelings about my dh, but just to just as an example to show that we really don't know what will happen and obedience while trusting God with the results is always the best course.
Nickey
This was so encouraging to read today, Crystal. I've been so discouraged lately about the abortion situation and many other heinous evils that are spreading rampantly in this country, and reading this story was a breath of fresh air.
And that prayer by Betty Stam... how powerful!
This was such an encouraging and uplifting post. Such a shining example of living for the higher purpose!
Angie,
Here here for the grace of God at work in St. Gianna Molla and her true daughters.
It takes these real witnesses to call our culture gently to repentance, and there are so many; it seems that every month a Catholic publication or radio station reports a similar story of a real mother who is willing to lay down her life for her child.
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