Court forcing 16 yr old with cancer into chemo

[scaeagles]

Anyone else heard this story?

This pisses me off like you cannot imagine. As I understand it, a 16 year old who has been through chemo in he past wants to pursue alternatives treatments. His parents are supportive of that decision. A court has ruled he must undergo chemotherapy and not pursue alternative treatments.

I have no words to express how this sickens me.

[tracilicious]

That's disgusting. Having personally known four people cured of cancer with alternative treatments (one of them being given 12 months to live, now alive six years later and cancer free) this bothers me a lot. I'm not saying chemo never works, but some doctors are so ignorant of other treatments that it is sickening.

[scaeagles]

I'll add that I don't really care if other treatments work. The government should not be able to force someone into medical treatment they don't want.

I will add that I don't think the Christian Science approach with small children not being given any medical treatment is OK. That has to do with the child having no knowledge of what's going on. In this case, the boy clearly has an understanding.

[tracilicious]

Yes, I agree, Scaeagles. It also bothers me that they are treating alternative therapies like he is going to wear crystals and try to walk on water or something.

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

the boy clearly has an understanding.

But Starchild Abraham Cherrix's (yes, that's his name) is also still a minor and not legally responsible for his own life.

He has Hodgkin's disease. Without proper treatment he will die. With treatment he has a better than 85% of a complete cure.

So what you are arguing for here, is the right of a parent to let their child die while they feed him the "organic diet and herbal supplements" prescribed by a mexican clinic rather than the the standard ABVD chemotherapy regimen.

[scaeagles]

I hear what you're saying, Moon, but it still angers me. This should no be within the purview of the government. Is a crime being committed? I don't know. Perhaps if the kid dies the parents could be prosecuted for negligent homicide.

[Nephythys]

Yes- they could. It's been done before where a parent was held responsible for not allowing or providing appropriate medical care for their child.

Frankly if the guy was 18 this would be moot- for 2 years he may be screwed- it's amazing how the state (social services/courts) can intervene.

[mousepod]

I'm all for people making their own decisions about what to do with their own bodies. I'm also sure that many of the "alternatives" to medicine are pure BS.
However sad this case appears, what Neph brings up is fact: he's a minor, and the reason that these kinds of courts even exist is to try and guarantee the best possible life for minors. To put it another way, I'm not sure I can even see some nefarious reason or hidden agenda behind the judge's decision, other than he thinks that chemo is the best way to pursue this particular type of cancer.

[scaeagles]

I do suppose you and Moon are right, Mousepod. There is just something that doesn't sit right with me about it.

[tracilicious]

Hmm, reading some of the responses I'm not sure where I stand. Yes, I think it sucks that a 16 year old who has an understanding of his disease can't make a decision with his parents as to what treatment to persue. But, on the other hand, if the court decided to let them not get treatment, then they would be setting a precedent. So at what age are we going to say that understanding begins? I think the only choice is to keep the minimum age 18.

On a non-legal issue, if his doctors would simply work with some of the many alternative medicine practitioners here in the states, perhaps they could treat it from all sides instead of getting in a nasty legal battle.