Court orders jw's boy to recieve blood transfusion

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Court orders jw's boy to recieve blood transfusion

Post by redunderthebed » Mon Jun 07, 2010 11:01 am

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... 5875658322

A HOSPITAL has won the right to give a child potentially life-saving blood transfusions despite the religious objections of the boy and his family.

In a South Australian legal first, the Supreme Court this afternoon gave the Women's and Children's Hospital the right to give a 10-year-old boy - a member of the Jehovah's Witness faith - transfusions as part of his cancer treatment.

The decision, in line with similar rulings from around the world, paves the way for hospitals to take action in future debates with religious parents.

The boy is suffering from an aggressive form of cancer that doctors fear will spread throughout his entire body if not treated with an intense 39-week regime of chemotherapy and surgery.

The speed of that process will not allow his blood cells time to regenerate, meaning he will require transfusions so that the chemotherapy can continue unabated.

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In a statement read to the court, the boy said transfusions carried spiritual consequences.

"The doctors have told me I might die and I don't want to - but I don't want blood," he said.

"The blood will change me... when you take blood, you are taking someone else's life.

"I really don't want this and my heart is ripping apart."

On May 10, doctors discovered a tumour in his left leg.

He commenced treatment and has so far had four weeks of chemotherapy.

He is due for more on Monday but, when doctors said he may need a blood transfusion as well, the family objected.

In the Jehovah's Witness faith, transfusions are not permitted because of a Bible verse that says one must "abandon from blood" to "keep well".

The hospital asked the court invoke its power of parens patriae - to look after those incapable of doing so - and over-rule the family's objections.

Today, pediatrician Tamas Revesz, told the court the regime was "the gold standard" and had a 70 per cent survival rate.

Other options, such as amputation, had a 30 per cent survival rate.

"This is a disease that is otherwise universally fatal," he said.

"The longer we delay, the chance of survival decreases considerably and the chance the disease will come back and be untreatable increases."

The boy's father said the application felt like "an unwanted attack" on his family's beliefs.

"I love my son, I love him more than I love myself," he said.

"If the court orders a transfusion, I will love him the same as before, and I will follow the law.

"But my son will suffer emotional and spiritual consequences for the rest of his life... he will always, in his own head, be unhappy."


In his statement, the boy said he feared a transfusion would "make the Creator unhappy".

"If I listen to my Creator then there will be a Paradise, which is like a new life," he said.

"If I die, I will get another chance of living.

"But I still want to live now because I'm finding my life really good and I'm liking it."

In his ruling, Justice Richard White said the boy's parents were "loving and caring" and had their son's "best interests at heart".

He said it was important to consider the boy's religious beliefs and attitude toward transfusions.

"Whilst I respect the religious beliefs of the boy and his family, and the strength of their faith and convictions, I am satisfied it is in his best interests to receive transfusions," he said.

"He otherwise risks the grave consequence... of a painful death within a matter of weeks or months."

The Women's and Children's Hospital did not seek to recover its legal costs.

The parents declined to comment outside court.
That's because you have indoctrinated him you fucking idiot. :nono:

I'm glad the court had the courage to stand up to the JW's and do whats right for the child of whom has never had a choice in what religion or beliefs he has at the age of 10. :lay:
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Re: Court orders jw's boy to recieve blood transfusion

Post by klr » Mon Jun 07, 2010 11:04 am

:tup: Good one.

There was a similar case here in Ireland a few years ago, where a mother was going to bleed to death after giving birth. The woman had first claimed she was RC, but then she (or her husband, who suddenly arrived on the scene), said they were JWs. The hospital went ahead anyway and gave her tranfusions to save her life.
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Re: Court orders jw's boy to recieve blood transfusion

Post by redunderthebed » Mon Jun 07, 2010 11:10 am

The age of the child is what really really pisses me off. How can you be anything at 10 without being indoctrinated. :nono:

If an adult wants to die for a stupid belief then fine that there decision but don't impose a death sentence or permanent disability at best on a fucking 10 year old. :lay:
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Re: Court orders jw's boy to recieve blood transfusion

Post by klr » Mon Jun 07, 2010 11:14 am

redunderthebed wrote:The age of the child is what really really pisses me off. How can you be anything at 10 without being indoctrinated. :nono:

If an adult wants to die for a stupid belief then fine that there decision but don't impose a death sentence or permanent disability at best on a fucking 10 year old. :lay:
And sometimes not even then. In the Irish case, I found there was something obscene about being prepared to die right after giving birth, "just because ...". It's not just the children who are indoctrinated. :I-love-pork:
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Re: Court orders jw's boy to recieve blood transfusion

Post by The Dawktor » Mon Jun 07, 2010 11:17 am

At least in the UK there is a reasonably well-travelled path for hospital specialists to go to Court to force treatmen in such cases! :tea:
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Re: Court orders jw's boy to recieve blood transfusion

Post by Horwood Beer-Master » Mon Jun 07, 2010 11:33 am

Can the court order the parents to recieve blood transfusions as well - just for the hell of it?
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Re: Court orders jw's boy to recieve blood transfusion

Post by Gawdzilla Sama » Mon Jun 07, 2010 11:48 am

I didn't know Jaws had a son.
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Re: Court orders jw's boy to recieve blood transfusion

Post by Wumbologist » Mon Jun 07, 2010 1:35 pm

If the stupid kid doesn't want blood because his stupid parents indoctrinated him, don't give him any. Do we really need one more JW? :ask:

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Re: Court orders jw's boy to recieve blood transfusion

Post by charlou » Mon Jun 07, 2010 1:45 pm

Aggressive cancer at ten. Poor kid. :(
Jörmungandr wrote:If the stupid kid doesn't want blood because his stupid parents indoctrinated him, don't give him any. Do we really need one more JW? :ask:
I think this will show the boy that there are views other than the rigid ones of his parents and their religion. Hopefully his treatment will help him to survive (incredibly sad that he doesn't have his parents' support in this), and he will go on to appreciate not only this ruling, but his life and the fact that his parents' religion is wrong.
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Re: Court orders jw's boy to recieve blood transfusion

Post by Trolldor » Mon Jun 07, 2010 4:11 pm

Jörmungandr wrote:If the stupid kid doesn't want blood because his stupid parents indoctrinated him, don't give him any. Do we really need one more JW? :ask:
Good idea, make the kid suffer for the actions of his parents.
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Re: Court orders jw's boy to recieve blood transfusion

Post by Horwood Beer-Master » Mon Jun 07, 2010 4:31 pm

Charlou wrote:Aggressive cancer at ten. Poor kid. :(
Jörmungandr wrote:If the stupid kid doesn't want blood because his stupid parents indoctrinated him, don't give him any. Do we really need one more JW? :ask:
I think this will show the boy that there are views other than the rigid ones of his parents and their religion. Hopefully his treatment will help him to survive (incredibly sad that he doesn't have his parents' support in this), and he will go on to appreciate not only this ruling, but his life and the fact that his parents' religion is wrong.
Besides which, surely there's no point in him continuing to be a Jehovah's Witness after this? I mean he's been contaminated with dirty sinful blood, so by JW beliefs surely heaven's barred to him now anyway.

He may as well sin to his heart's content from now on! :toot:
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Re: Court orders jw's boy to recieve blood transfusion

Post by charlou » Tue Jun 08, 2010 5:18 am

Imagine how confusing and frightening this whole thing must be for the boy. I hope the medical practitioners can manage to not only do what they must for his health, but also that there's someone who can help him allay his fears and confusion, and even any guilt he might be feeling.

Fuck religion. Fuck it right off.
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Re: Court orders jw's boy to recieve blood transfusion

Post by JimC » Tue Jun 08, 2010 5:48 am

Charlou wrote:Imagine how confusing and frightening this whole thing must be for the boy. I hope the medical practitioners can manage to not only do what they must for his health, but also that there's someone who can help him allay his fears and confusion, and even any guilt he might be feeling.

Fuck religion. Fuck it right off.
Yes, I worry that the boy will now fear he has been made "impure" forever, and will suffer depression as a result.

Evil fuckwits, these cults... :nono:
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