Court orders Minn. parents to treat son's cancer

MINNEAPOLIS - A Minnesota couple who refused chemotherapy for their 13-year-old son were ordered yesterday to pick a doctor and get their son's tumor X-rayed to determine if the boy would still benefit from the cancer treatment - or if it may already be too late.
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According to Daniel's court testimony, he believes the chemo will kill him, and said: "I'd fight it. I'd punch them and I'd kick them."

Calvin Johnson, a lawyer for Daniel's parents, said the family is considering an appeal. For now, he said, the boy is abiding by the order and will have an X-ray on Monday.

Daniel was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in January and it was recommended he have six rounds of chemotherapy. He underwent one round in February, but stopped after that single treatment. He and his parents opted instead for "alternative medicines," citing religious beliefs.

Doctors have said Daniel's cancer had a 90 percent chance of being cured with chemotherapy and radiation. Without those treatments, doctors said his chances of survival are 5 percent. Child protection workers accused Daniel's parents of medical neglect, and went to court seeking custody.

Court testimony indicated Daniel's tumor shrank after the first round of chemo, but has since grown. His mother, Colleen Hauser, testified last week: "My son is not in any medical danger at this point."

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/05/16/court_orders_minn_parents_to_treat_sons_cancer/

Nothing like a parents love. :puke:

Remember Doctor Horowitz? Have you seen his video (link below)? Its a bit long, but, I recommend viewing all of it because if something is seen that seems a bit too much, just keep watching.





http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8674401787208020885

There would be a DU shitstorm in this thread about my entire region, and everyone that lives here. But I know not everyone in Minnesota is stupid.

;)

:D

Coleman, Bachmann, and now this. It's not like Florida is likely to lose the Wackiest State label any time soon, but there's something bad going on Up North too.

THEN he can die.

the decision for him not to be treated, everything would be hunky dory.

... everything would be hunky dory."

EXACTLY. You nailed it.

Ignorance like this just makes me wonder about the future of humanity.


:-(

The family stopped because of religious beliefs. Nothing mentions anything about the inability to pay. Big difference

:wtf:

Do you understand what neglect is?

I am all for parents praying and alternative medicine but in this case only medical treatment will save this kids life and at 13 he cannot understand that especially since the parents have been sold a bill of goods and are in denial.

It is neglect and child endangerment, plain and simple.

There is a KNOWN, EFFECTIVE treatment for his disease. This is one that is easily curable. But using woo-woo bullshit to treat him WILL kill him.


These parents (and others like them) belong in JAIL and their kids placed with sane, not religiously deranged, people.

Religion does not fucking trump science-based medicine. Religion kills.

Alternative medicine is a scam, whether it is religiously based or not.

I am glad sane people are sitting on the courts. These fucking monster parents need to lose custody forever. I guess they want their kid to die, because he will if they have their way.

I'm a big believer in alternative medicine and make my own medicine from my herb garden.

BUT there are a few things western medicine does well, that alternative doesn't. Hodgkin's is one of them.

(edited to fix typo)

that their religious beliefs suddenly changed between the 1st round of chemo and the 2nd?

(If my friends invited to dinner converted to muslim after the 1st serving of pork and before the 2nd, I'd guess they didn't like my cooking.)

Chemo can be harsh and frightening. As can certain death. Which can lead some people into the state of denial. That is clearly where these people are.

I don't normally agree with the government interfering in personal decisions around health care, even with minors. Certainly if there were a low survival rate with the chemo, or if it were very experimental, it would be a different story.

But when you have a situation in which:

1. the chemo has demonstrated a 90+ rate of success -- against 5% recovery without chemo. With success defined as *cure*, not as temporary remission.
2. a tumor that responded to the 1st round of chemo...and has grown since the chemo was discontinued
2. a minor who doesn't necessarily understand the consequences or the science, only the short term -- & temporary -- misery
3. parents who are apparently stupid or nutters (the mother's claim that his life is not in danger at this moment? does she not understand that with cancer, the longer you wait for treatment the worse the odds are of beating it? does she not understand that x-rays show that it is getting worse? does she not understand the meaning of waiting too long -- until it *can't* be treated -- means certain death for her son?)

Again, I believe in alternative health care. I grow and make my own herbal medicine. Some things alternatives are far and away the best for. Other things, western medicine is the best for.

This is a pretty clear cut situation. With chemo a very good chance of cure. Without, an equally certain death. And I'm not buying that they suddenly switched religions and it's suddenly a violation of their religious rights.