Rome, Italy, Apr 10, 2008 / 12:44 pm
Bishop Corrado Pizziolo of Vittorio Veneto celebrated the funeral Mass on Wednesday for Paola Bredda, a courageous 38 year-old mother who refused to undergo cancer treatments in order to save her unborn child.
A large number of the faithful filled the Cathedral of Pieve di Soligo to say goodbye to Paola, whose testimony of maternal love was a source of inspiration to the country. Her death, which occurred on Tuesday, was reported in the Vatican daily L’Osservatore Romano.
Paola Bredda died at her parents’ home, where she had spent her last days with her husband Loris Amodei, and her children Ilaria, 3, and Nicola, the newborn baby boy whose life she saved by refusing cancer treatment.
Paolo was six months pregnant when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She decided to continue on with the pregnancy and postpone treatment in order to prevent the child from dying. Nicola was born at eight months, and is now 17 months old. Paola underwent surgery for her cancer after giving birth but several weeks ago she suffered relapse.