Noah Wall is like many nine-year-old boys. He dreams of scoring a goal on the professional soccer field and becoming an astronaut. As Yahoo reports, Noah’s journey to celebrating his ninth birthday, however, has been anything but ordinary.
When Noah was still in the womb, he was diagnosed with spina bifida, a neurological condition in which the baby’s spine does not develop properly. Doctors told his parents, Michelle and Rob, who live in Britain, that their son would likely be paralyzed from the chest down.
Ultrasounds also revealed that Noah had a cyst in his brain that was causing damage. Initially, doctors thought he might be born missing a quarter of his brain. As the pregnancy progressed, Noah developed hydrocephalus, a condition in which fluid accumulates in the brain.
Surgery on preborn babies can address some of the potential disabilities associated with spina bifida, but such interventions were not common nine years ago when Noah was born. Additionally, with the developing complications, doctors feared that Noah had a rare genetic condition that could mean his life would be brief.
The doctors caring for Noah and his mother placed a Do Not Resuscitate Order on him. They pressured Noah’s parents to end his life in abortion, like so many parents facing an uncertain future with a child who may have a life-limiting condition. Noah’s parents were asked if they wanted to end his life in abortion on at least five times.
Noah’s parents chose not to violently end their sons’ life in the face of unknowns. They understood the gravity of the situation and they even went through the heartbreaking experience of choosing a casket and planning a funeral in case their son did not live past his birth. Noah’s mother explained, “As a parent you don’t want to believe what they’re saying, but it’s reality. But you’ve got to go home and tell your family that we might have to bury him.”
Not knowing what the future held, Noah’s family focused on celebrating his life at every stage. His mother said, “We always tried to be positive, always, even though we were given such a horrendous situation.”
When he was born, Noah surprised doctors with his lively entrance when he was born on March 6, 2012. “Noah took one life affirming scream when he was born and tears just rolled down my cheeks,” Michelle explains. “It was incredible. It was emotional.”
After that initial cry, Noah was assessed for brain damage from the cyst. Doctors discovered that he had only 2% of his brain. This led to dire predictions. Michelle explained, “Doctors told us that he would be in a vegetative state, he wouldn’t be able to communicate. They told us he might not be able to speak, hear, eat, or anything.”
Today, Noah is an imaginative 9-year-old boy. He uses a wheelchair but he has not let that hold him back. His mother says he reads and does math. His love for science has given him an interest in the solar system.
His birthday each year is a reminder for his family of how far he has come. If his parents had succumbed to pressure from anti-Life doctors, he would not be here today. His mother said, “It’s been an absolute joy to see him grow up and see him become the unique boy that he is.” She added, “It’s astonishing to me how smart he is. We’ve spent a lot of time with him and every single day he does something that impresses me.”
In his nine years of life, Noah has undergone 11 operations and he likely faces many more in the years to come. He set a goal of running and playing soccer one day, a goal that his family hopes to help him achieve. His mother said, “I’m so extremely proud of him. He’s my son. His goal in life is to run, it’s what he wants to do. I will help him all I can and always be there for him.” Texas Right to Life is spearheading the Preborn NonDiscrimination Act (PreNDA) to ensure that children like Noah have a chance at life.
