Isabella Santorum Hospitalized, Rick Santorum Comes Off Campaign Trail

Isabella Santorum, the three-year-old daughter of GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum, has been hospitalized, prompting her father to remove himself from the campaign trail to be at her side.

The Republican presidential hopeful called off his campaign events for Sunday morning, after Isabella was admitted to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia on Saturday night.

Isabella suffers from Trisomy 18, a genetic condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 18th chromosome. Santorum has previously revealed his daughter was not expected to survive until her first birthday. Santorum spokesman Hogan Gidley said:

“Rick intends to return to Florida and resume the campaign schedule as soon as is possible.”

As well as attending church in Miami, Santorum was booked in to appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” His Sunday afternoon events, due to be staged in Sarasota and Punta Gorda, will proceed as expected.

Earlier this year, just before a late surge in the polls saw him come agonisingly close to victory in Iowa, Santorum discussed his daughter and her condition. He said:

“I don’t know whether [Isabella’s] life is going to be measured — it’s always been measured — in days and weeks. Yet here I am. […] I feel like I wouldn’t be a good dad if I wasn’t out here fighting for a country that would see the dignity in her and every other child.”

Isabella has made a brief appearance on Santorum’s campaign trail – she was photographed with her father at Iowa’s straw poll in August (above) – but mostly she stays home with her mother.

Here’s wishing little Isabella a speedy and safe recovery!