A Christian mother's open letter to the doctor who diagnosed her unborn daughter with Down syndrome and urged her to get an abortion has gone viral.
Courtney Baker, with the help of her 15-month-old daughter Emersyn Faith, dropped the letter in the mail at the end of May to the doctor who she said pressured her to terminate her pregnancy. The Sanford, Florida mom also posted it on the Parker Myles Facebook page, where it has been shared thousands of times.
"I came to you during the most difficult time in my life. I was terrified, anxious and in complete despair. I didn't know the truth yet about my baby, and that's what I desperately needed from you," reads the letter.
"But instead of support and encouragement, you suggested we terminate our child. I told you her name, and you asked us again if we understood how low our quality of life would be with a child with Down syndrome. You suggested we reconsider our decision to continue the pregnancy.
From that first visit, we dreaded our appointments. The most difficult time in my life was made nearly unbearable because you never told me the truth. My child was perfect."
Baker wrote that while the doctor told them about the "low" quality of life her daughter would have, the little girl has "added to our quality of life."
"She's given us a purpose and a joy that is impossible to express," Baker continued. "She's given us bigger smiles, more laughter and sweeter kisses than we've ever known. She's opened our eyes to true beauty and pure love."
As of Wednesday morning, the letter had been "liked" and "shared" thousands of times, with many parents sharing their own stories and thanking Baker for her candor.
Baker told ABC News that every action, from opening and closing the mailbox to raising the red flag, was closure for her.
"I have no idea how the doctor might have reacted to my letter, but I do have faith that God can work any miracle and he can change any heart," she said.
The Christian mother added that she hopes her letter helps the doctor "see true beauty and pure love with every sonogram."
"I hope he sees Emmy, I hope he sees my words on paper," Baker said. "Emmy is proof that children with special needs are worthy and can change the world. She's doing it right now."
According to the National Down Syndrome Society, one in every 691 babies in the United States is born with Down syndrome - about 6,000 each year. There are approximately 400,000 people living with Down syndrome in the United States.
In another open letter to a mother who just received a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis, Baker wrote "I can promise you that your child has a grand purpose."
"My prayer is when you see that next baby with Down syndrome lovingly tucked in her mother's womb, you will look at that mommy and see me then tell her the truth: 'Your child is perfect,'" she wrote.
"My greatest hope is that you can know the truth and feel that love even now as you child grows within you. Your child's life has already changed the world," she concluded. "And it's only just begun."
