by Sapphy 14 Replies latest watchtower medical
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-27/jehovahs-witness-loses-bid-to-refuse-blood/4985476
Interesting verdict, that despite the judge "... noting he was highly intelligent, a "mature minor" and devoted to his faith, the judge also found the boy had been "cocooned in that faith" for his entire life."
The young man is 18 in 5 months and will be able to refuse treatment after that.
Let's hope he gets good medical care and the treatments work. He'll be glad in a few years if he beats the cancer and can go on to live a normal life.
He's 18 in January. Will they have time to treat him properly before he's in a position to refuse?
I love these phrases:
While noting he was highly intelligent, a "mature minor" and devoted to his faith, the judge also found the boy had been "cocooned in that faith" for his entire life.
"The sanctity of life in the end is a more powerful reason for me to make the orders than is respect for the dignity of the individual," Justice Gzell said at the time.
Yay!! Another success story!! (Sort of, but count the blessings right?)!!
Good. Let's hope this is used as case law for years to come.
I am glad. He is so close in age to making his own decisions. Perhaps it will help.
Very good article here, giving more details, sent by a friend.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/teen-witness-must-have-a-transfusion-rules-judge-20130417-2i0lc.html
"Apart from ripping out the IV if he could, X and his father would otherwise obey the court order, Judge Gzell found."
Sigh
Let's hope for the sake this boy, and of common sense, that the transfusion goes well!
Id really like to keep track of this kid. It will be interesting what kind of strategy the court and doctors use once he actually turns 18. I mean, im pretty sure cancer treatment takes much longer that justa few months. And if he stops treatment on his 18th birthday then the gains of just a few months will quickly be lost and he will die. It seems to me that his only hope is that he starts to get cold feet before he stops treatment and better still, some serious doubts about the correctness of his faith. With all eyes on him that will be hard to do. Maybe he'll figure that to live at this point being saved by blood transfusions that he, lets say decided to keep taking, would result in shunning and loss of his entire social life. And everyone he loves; so it would be better to die honorably.
