Faith helps couple with twins born conjoined, separated by surgery

Published: 2007-05-15

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (CNS) -- The last year has been an emotional one for Angie Benzschawel and Ryan Shaw following the birth of their twin sons. But the young couple agrees they couldn't have made it without the support of family and friends, and their Catholic faith. The babies were born conjoined and required surgical separation to save their lives. And they face more medical treatment. The babies also were born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus. When doctors explained what a prenatal screening and ultrasound had shown, "we were told we still had opportunities to terminate the pregnancy," said Shaw. "But that wasn't an option for us. It's not for us to play God just because of potential problems." The names they chose for their boys, Mateo Asher and McHale Twain, reveal much about the parents and the journey on which they embarked in welcoming these two new lives. Mateo and McHale mean "gift of God;" Mateo reflects Benzschawel's Spanish heritage and McHale, Shaw's Irish background. Asher means "to be blessed," while Twain means "to be cut in two." More information about the twins is available on the Web site www.caringbridge.org, by clicking on "visit a CaringBridge site" and entering "MateoandMcHale" as the site name.

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .