Sunday, August 25, 2013

Ohio hospital wants to force Amish girl’s cancer treatment after parents stop chemotherapy

An Ohio hospital is fighting to force a 10-year-old Amish girl with leukemia to resume chemotherapy after her parents decided to stop the treatments.

Akron Children’s Hospital is appealing a judge’s decision that blocked an attorney who’s also a registered nurse from taking over limited guardianship and making medical decisions for the girl.

The hospital believes the girl will die without chemotherapy and is morally and legally obligated to make sure she receives proper care, said Robert McGregor, the hospital’s chief medical officer.

“We really have to advocate for what we believe is in the best interest of the child,” he said Friday.
The parents initially allowed chemotherapy treatment in May but stopped treatment in June. The parents said the effects on their daughter were horrible and that they were now relying on natural medicines, such as herbs and vitamins, The Medina Gazette reported.

The girl told a probate and juvenile judge that she didn’t want chemotherapy because it made feel ill, can damage her organs and make her infertile, the newspaper said.

Medina County Probate and Juvenile Judge John Lohn said he could only transfer guardianship if the parents were found unfit.

Full Article and Source:
Ohio hospital wants to force Amish girl’s cancer treatment after parents stop chemotherapy

2 comments:

Momazilla said...

Good for the judge! Disagreeing with the "System" does not make you "unfit".

Thelma said...

Hospitals have no business assuming guardianship when family is available and fit.