Olympic Hero Tasha Danvers-Smith

Tasha Danvers-Smith was one of Britain’s most promising prospects for bringing home the gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2004 summer Olympics. She had recently married her trainer, Darrell Smith, and life was good...except that she discovered she was pregnant.

All of a sudden, Tasha’s world was turned upside down! The pressure to have an abortion was enormous, and Tasha admitted that she briefly considered it. She was the breadwinner of the family. Continuing the pregnancy would jeopardize their financial well-being. Not only that, the winners of Olympic gold frequently receive lucrative endorsement offers. These generate large amounts of income for the athlete. By having the baby, she and Darrell would be giving up a lot. In spite of the pressures, abortion didn’t linger in Tasha’s mind very long. She kept thinking of Matthew 16:26, “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” Tasha and Darrell knew a gold medal wasn’t worth their souls, and it wasn’t worth the life of their baby. They decided against abortion. (Life Issues Connector, July 2004)

Tasha was heavily criticised for choosing life for her baby instead of abortion so that she could compete in the Olympics. Her son was born in December, 2004, and Tasha resumed training for the Olympics.

Fast forward to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. Tasha once again was competing against the best in the world in the 400 meter hurdles event. On August 20, 2008 she ran her personal best to claim the bronze medal! With this tremendous victory, Tasha has demonstrated to women the world over that they don’t have to sacrifice their unborn children to fulfill their dreams. Tasha’s three-year-old son, Jaden, was an inspiration to her Olympic goals. The very thing critics said would destroy and derail her hopes was central to helping her fulfill them. (Lifelines)

What dreams and goals will be delayed because of your daughter's pregnancy? Would choosing a family to raise her child via adoption be a good option for her? Talk with your daughter about creating a plan that can get her back on track to meet her goals after her child is born. You may find it helpful to read the chapters "Where will we be in a year?", "Our hope for the next five years", "Beauty from ashes", and "Should she make an adoption plan?" from our book "How To Survive Your Teen's Pregnancy."