Cancer Discussions, Cancer Treatment Options Forum - December 30th, 2009 - 14 Comments
How do you feel about the boy and his parents who refuse chemo for his cancer?
The court orders him to take chemo. But him and his family refuse. What would you do in this situation? If it was me I would let my kid have the chem if it met it would save their life. Why are they doing this I wonder.
It’s wrong for the court to interfere with the parents and child.
Do you really think the courts should be able to tell you what you need to do with your body?! Maybe he has been to many surgeries and he and he has had enough and his parents can’t bare to see him suffer anymore.
not all people believe that chemo is the way to cure cancer. just think about it, chemo kills everything, even the things that maintain our health. i would rather try the hollistic way before opting for chemo. there are plenty of people who survive cancer without chemo. chemo has no guarantees and it makes a person feel terrible.
its their choice, and in the end, they are going to have to live with their choice.
I think: To each his own.
And I don’t approve of the courts interfering in such a personal matter as this.
Well, its entirely there decision, and it could be because it might be against their religion? If your really wondering, then ask them and explain that your worried and think hat the best way to go is chemo.
Chemo could hurt the boy,
but i wouldnt just let him sit there and die.
i think it should be up to the boy, but we have to educate him about it first!
this is a messy situation, but the parents are trying their best!
i will be praying for all of them (:
I saw on tv (tried to find a link) that said the boy was unaware he had cancer he just thought the meds were making him sick. After some thinking it over the father changed his mind and wants the treatment and that’s when the mom took her son to mexico.. or in that direction.
They may feel that in the end the child is going to die, they want him to spend the time he has left happy. Chemo makes you sick… I used to go sick with my gramps while he had it. I gave him so much credit, I think it is a personal choice to want to do it or not. They are doing what they think is best. Sometimes it quality of life. They do not want their child to die, who does? I am sure this is the hardest choice they will ever make. If the doctors said that the child would most likely respond very well to the chemo that would be a different story, I would bet that is not the case. They are the ones that will suffer the most through this, I am sure they are thinking of the child.
The Parents refused for him to get chemo because of their religion/culture. The docotrs say with chemo he has a 90% chance that his cancer will be cured.
I feel bad for the boy but I dont know him hes not my family.
If he dies then their religion and their choices made him die if he did which I have a feeling the parents will not allow the chemo.
Why should the boy die because of their religion?/parents?
But there is a 10% that he wont.
If his body doesnt react well with the treatment then it is possible he could die and hes a boy its not like hes an adult. My uncle had small cell cancer and his body didnt react well with chemo and radiation. They gave him too much he was gettin the treatment everyweek and then in April of last year he died. My grandmother had it and she was cured.
The chemo kills both the good and bad cells in the body.
Why should the court decide whether he should get treatment or not? The court should have nothing to do with the boy its not their kid. The parents are responsible for him until age 18 I never heard that a court owns the kid is the court responsible for the boy? I dont think so did judge Judy change the laws? The parents are the ones that are suppost to give the doctors permission.
How dare the court take over his parents
Maybe they see the ‘Con’ side of this. They think that he’ll get sicker or possibly die, or maybe they don’t have the money. They need to look at the ‘Pro’ side too. He might get better and live, and you can’t put a dollar amount on love of a child.
I am always in full agreement of intelligent, competent children having a say in their own medical treatment to the point where they are the ones deciding whether or not to discontinue with chemo/refuse transplants, etc. I work in a children’s hospital with children who have chronic illnesses which have forced them to mature and experience things most adults would struggle with. These children are more than capable of determining what they want for their own care.
However, this boy does not seem mentally competent enough. He seems to be a poor wee soul who is young for his years and is allowing himself to be swept away by his parents’ religious wishes. It’s ridiculous to refuse chemo when he is a newly diagnosed leaukaemia sufferer (it’s not as if he has relapsed two or three times and is tired of fighting what seems to be a losing battle) who has every chance of beating this.
The health staff were quite right to bring this to court. They had a duty to protect this boy, even if it meant going against his parents.
I see this question at least three times a day lately. It’s really no one’s business but their own. You said yourself that HE and his family refuse. It’s not that he’s just being a stubborn teen. They have reasons that you obviously cannot understand for not wanting the treatment.
I have read that they did it because of religion. I bet though that god wants this boy to be saved and that is why this problem got to court, i bet there are a lot of parents out there who are not giving their kids medical help also because of their religion.
Religion claims another victim. I am religious but not to the point of where things become un logical.
Some people say the court shouldn’t interfere with personal things as these, but we live in the US and people here are really strict when it comes to safety of kids. I bet there are some kids right now dying because of their religion, when someone thinks about how sad this is… you can’t help but interfere! especially if you have kids of your own.
I don’t know the chances of survival if he does have the chemo, but unless it were in the vast majority, I think the kid deserves to make his own decision.
He’s 13 and has a clue. If he’s mentally competent, he deserves to choose how he’s going to spend the time he has left on this earth.
Cancer is a cruel, slow death to many. The survivors are amazing, but sometimes, there’s just no beating it.