GOP presidential candidate Santorum sidelined by daughter's illness
Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum canceled campaign stops in Florida to be with this hospitalized daughter in Philadelphia.
Campaign staffers said the former senator will stay in Pennsylvania with 3-year-old Isabella Maria, who has a genetic condition known as Trisomy 18. The condition typically is fatal, and Santorum often says his daughter wasn't expected to live past 12 months.
Spokesman Hogan Gidley said Santorum hopes to return to a campaign schedule soon.
Santorum canceled his appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" and a visit to a Miami church. His 20-year-old daughter Elizabeth appeared in his place at campaign events in Sarasota and Punta Gorda.
Santorum has trailed badly in polls in Florida. Although his campaign is low on money, he plans to open a new campaign headquarters Saturday — in Nevada, which holds its GOP caucus four days after Florida's vote.
Santorum was declared the winner of the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 20, 17 days after former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was thought to have narrowly defeated him.
Additional Information:
What is Trisomy 18â¢
A genetic disorder caused by an extra copy of chromosome 18
Symptoms: clenched hands, low birth weight, mental deficiency, small head and jaw and an unusual-shaped chest.
Prognosis: Most children die in the first three months of life; only 10 to 20 percent survive past the first year.
Sources: CDC; National Institutes of Health
