Re: Teen forced to have chemo
I am OUTRAGED by this.

Normally, I'm on the side of anyone who will fight for the rights of children to receive medical treatment, even against their parents' wishes, but this is a whole 'nother kettle of fish.
For one, the 'child' in question is 16 years old........old enough to make his own decisions in this regard, IMHO. He also knows what chemotherapy did to him the first time, and he clearly doesn't want to repeat the experience. What does that judge know about puking up your toenails for a solid 24 hours or more after a treatment? What does he know about the profound weakness, the hair loss, the mouth sores, or any of the other lovely side effects of chemo?? How DARE he force this young man to go through all that when it's not
his body that will be subjected to the torture?
The other really disturbing thing about all this is the precedent it will set for other state 'protective' agencies, which in all too many cases fail to act quickly enough when a child is in grave danger, but in others jump into a situation with little evidence that actual harm is occurring. Government in general is far too invasive these days; while there are certainly many circumstances in which intervention is necessary (such as homes in which the parents' so-called "religion" allegedly forbids seeking medical care for their children, as well as those in which health care is neglected even when it's obviously needed), I think this is one case where government's long nose doesn't belong.
Both Abraham and his parents agree on how they want to treat his cancer; where is the evidence that harm is occurring? I don't necessarily think his chosen course of treatment is the right one, but doggone it, it's HIS body, and he's old enough to decide how much he wants to go through for the sake of survival. And what's this about FORCING the parents to sign consent allowing conventional medicine to treat him? That's not consent, it's coercion, and that is ILLEGAL.
I hope sanity prevails in this sad case BEFORE young Mr. Cherrix has to face another round of treatment he doesn't want. Like most medical people, I have plenty of doubts about alternative treatments for cancer, and if he were my son I would strongly encourage him to reconsider chemotherapy. But Lord help anyone who dared to interfere in our private business and tried to force us to conform to some bureaucrat's idea of proper parenting!!! I'd squawk so loudly you could hear me from coast to coast, and then I'd hire the best attorney we can afford to slap these people into line.
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