Santorum cancels campaign events to be with sick daughter

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WASHINGTON — Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum has canceled all campaign events Monday to be with his youngest daughter, who was hospitalized on Friday, his campaign said.

“Senator Santorum will not hold any campaign related events on Monday so he and Karen can remain in the hospital with their daughter Bella,” his campaign said in a statement.

The three-year-old has Trisomy 18, a rare and serious genetic disorder also known as Edwards syndrome that causes severe developmental disabilities and abnormalities. Most babies with the condition die before or during birth.

Santorum canceled a slew of campaign appearances in January when Isabella, or “Bella,” was admitted to hospital with pneumonia just before Florida’s key Republican primary.

Santorum frequently mentions his daughter when meeting voters on the campaign trail. He has six other children with his wife Karen, a neo-natal nurse. In 1996, their son Gabriel was born prematurely and died shortly after birth.