Today, a judge in Minnesota decided that a 13 year old cancer patient’s family does NOT have the right to reject chemotherapy, for their son who has Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The family of the young man had decided, along with their son, that they wished to honor their religious beliefs to choose natural healing and alternative treatments. They had allowed one chemo treatment and then, allegedly stopped it. The court has allegedly found them to have medically neglected their son.
The family has now been ordered to have him evaluated by a doctor; to see whether he would benefit from starting chemotherapy again; if so, he WILL have to start it. If the family does not follow through, their son could be removed from their custody. If he would not benefit from the chemo, then the judge will allow him to opt out of treatment…but, if the doctor says that there is potential for an improvement with his cancer; then, he is to start chemo right away. The problem is…how do the doctors enforce a patient to take treatment? Chemo is not something that you can shove down someone’s throat…it takes time to administer. You must have co-operation from the patient…I dont know how the court expects the medical profession to force a patient to endure all that chemotherapy entails!
In his ruling, the judge allegedly said that, with the information provided to him…that he had sufficient evidence to over-ride the wishes of the family and their constitutional rights to freedom of religion. With the chemotherapy, the young man will have a 90% chance of surviving his cancer; without it…supposedly, he would die.
The thing is, chemotherapy is a mish- mosh of many toxic substances. Yes, it often does kill cancer cells…but, it also kills good and healthy cells; which can cause other healh problems. The truth is, there is no guarantee that chemotherapy will definately keep anyone alive and well. There can be complications and serious, sometimes life threatening-side effects. Those can be both short and long-term complications.
Since it is the young man who will be facing this physical, spiritual, financial, and emotional battle; why does anyone else have the right to force him to go through chemotherapy? I understand that a judge does have legal authority…but, who felt it was their place to bring it before a judge to make that decision? Alledgedly, it was Brown County Family services who provided the information to the judge for him to make his decision; but, I wonder who brought it to their attention? Obviously, it was someone who disagreed with how the family was handling their son’s medical condition.
I understand that family services around the country are formed to try and protect youth from abuse and neglect…and, that is important; but, if the young man expressed his own desire to resist having chemotherapy…why isn’t that decision being honored? I understand that some people feel that he doesn’t understand the possible consequences of refusing medical intervention because of his age. However, couldn’t a medical advisor explain the options to him and make sure that his decision to stop chemo was indeed his own decision?
It seems to me that this should be a decision that the family makes together with the advice of their doctor and religious advisors. To have the courts step in and make the decision for them, basically alienates the authority of the parents regarding the physical, spiritual and emotional, well-being of their child. If the child wanted the treatments, against the parents wishes…then, I would think that that is the time for the courts to step in. What are your thoughts, should forced chemotherapy be allowed? What next…what other things could be forced on you medically if you are in disagreement say with your doctor, neighbor or friends? Could you be forced to end a life if a doctor recommeded it, like in some other countries?
The family belongs to a religious organization called, the Nemenhah Band; they believe in natural healing for those in need. Here is their website which explains more about what they believe: http://www.nemenhah.org/. What do you think?
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Oh, Rainy!
When I saw this news item on the web earlier I just KNEW you would pick it up and blog about it.
My heart goes out to this family because I know first hand what it is to have your child’s health issues ripped out of your control and it is not pretty.
My prayers are going up for this family and I dearly hope that the major players in this drama learn that Big Medicine and Big Pharma do NOT always know what’s best for our children.
Bless you, dear one, for giving this some good coverage. But that’s how you roll, isn’t it?
Hugs
Mother Connie
The question should be – Do parents have right to let they child die?
That’s what this is. If your child is sick and might die, you as a parent should want to do whatever it take to save there life. What give then the right to play God. That what they are doing. I cannot not believe this is happening. This is crazy!! I feel sorry for this child. Who in there right mind think that this is okay.
My older son was sick a lot as a child. I would had done anything to change what he had to put up with for years. That what a parents do. They do not play God.
Thank you for blogging about this case. I think it’s an atrocity that we live in a day & age when, in America, we cannot choose the medical treatment we desire. Chemotherapy is not the only way to treat cancer and I was in shock today to read the headlines that this mother will be arrested when caught and her son taken away from her to be placed in foster care.
The decision as to WHICH treatment she chooses to battle lymphoma in her son has been completely removed from her and placed in the hands of Big Brother. The irony, or a better term might be insanity, is that while this women is held in contempt of court for electing a different form of treatment for her ailing son, thousands round her have visited a clinic today to murder their unborn babies. Insane.
Wow untill today I never knew you could be forced to take chemo… is it because he is a minor? Still I don’t agree with that either, so much for freedom in the usa eh?