British girl with Patau Syndrome defies doctors' dire predictions

From The Telegraph in the UK:

Charlotte Docherty, from Eston, Teesside, suffers from Patau Syndrome, a chromosomal abnormality like Down's Syndrome.

Many children who suffer from the condition live for only days but doctors believe that Charlotte could now survive even into adulthood.

Although her family were warned that she would never sit up, never smile and never recognise them, she now goes to school, plays with her brothers and is even learning to horse ride.

Her parents, Christie, 28, and Patrick, 42, said that they wanted to publicise Charlotte's case to offer hope to others.

"Now a doctor has said Lottie is fine. After everything we've been through,
it's like a dream come true," said Christie. "If we'd listened to everything we'd been told, we might never have got here. "We want to share our story with other parents - to tell them not to give up."

Although registered blind and disabled as a result of her condition, Charlotte is now an average weight and height for her age, can eat normal food, crawl and even climb into the bath on her own.

She celebrated her fifth birthday last month and a neurologist has told the family she is healthy despite her disabilities and could live in to adulthood.

"She's survived, and so might other children in future," said Christie.