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Praxius · Jul 27, 2007, 12:33 pm

CTV.ca | Quebec refuses to force chemo on 3-year-old boy

Quote:

Quebec's child protection agency is refusing to force chemotherapy on a three-year-old boy with cancer after his parents opted to treat him with alternative medicine instead.

Last fall, Anael L'Esperance-Nascimento, from Ripon., Que. was diagnosed with cancerous cells in his brain and spinal cord.

He was initially cared for at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario but his parents have since decided to try an alternative treatment that involves a diet of raw vegetables.

Arthur Schafer, an ethics professor at the University of Manitoba, said the court ruled against the medical staff at the hospital because the boy's condition, which is currently not life threatening, is not an emergency situation.

"The chemo is toxic, it's highly aggressive treatment," Schafer told CTV's Canada AM on Friday. "It may be that the child is likely not to survive anyway, it may be that there's time to survive and that the chemo doesn't have to be given now."

Schafer said that if the doctors had testified that it was a medical emergency, the province probably would have intervened.

"There's a heavy burden of proof on the state if you're going to interfere on the judgments of a loving family about their own young child," he said. "You better have good medical evidence and my supposition is that we haven't seen that evidence yet."

Still, Shafer said the province could eventually change the ruling.

"The parents are making what is doubtless a loving decision but it's not a rational decision and I think that public authorities will override their wishes if there is an effective alternative."

The boy's mother, Marie-Élise L'Espérance, says that since starting the new diet her son's condition has improved. L'Espérance said if his health worsens she will seek chemotherapy again.

The mainly raw vegetable diet is based on that of the Hippocrates Health Institute in Florida. They claim their diet promotes the oxygenation of blood through enzymes found in raw vegetables.

Additional Comments can be found on link at the bottom.

I think this is BS, the parents should be able to do what they think is best for their child unless the child is obviously in a dire situation.... and trying to force them to do what the authorities want, isn't right, it's not freedom, and it's lame.

Alive · Jul 27, 2007, 06:56 pm

You mean parents should be able to force their children into not undergoing procedures that will allow them to save their lives? If you call that freedom, I want none of it.

smallpox · Jul 27, 2007, 07:20 pm

Taking care of children is a responsibility that a parent must take. If they are negligent in doing so in a matter that can cause grievous or deadly bodily harm, then they deserve no authority to retain custody of the children.

Praxius · Jul 27, 2007, 08:49 pm

They have said that there is not threat to the child's life right now, so chill out.... talk about jumping to conclusions with not enough information.

For all you know the hospital wanted to pump this kid full of chemo and increase the risk further.... not towards the cancer, but to his general health at his age.

If they have been given alternative cancer treatments which have been found to be credible, then they have that choice to avoid seeing their 3 year old suffer. I'm pretty sure they will take their child in as soon as they detect that their alternative solution isn't working..... but if they don't have to over kill the baby right now.... why bother to do it?

Nikkums · Jul 28, 2007, 04:03 pm

I was reading another article about this boy and his diet that says he was still on chemo when the parents started with the new diet.

If he is not getting worse as a result from this diet and lack of medical treatment, i say fine. Let the parents try it. Do I think it will cure him? Not a chance.

Praxius · Jul 30, 2007, 03:13 pm

Well you're right on the chances.... most of us are used to seeing nothing work besides Chemo.... but you never know.

I do believe that as soon as the child's health does degrade, then they should do what the medical advice is recomending, if not, then the provience should take the child away for health reasons alone.... not really take away, but confine to a hospital for treatment, etc.

Jul 27, 2007, 07:20 pm	#3 (permalink) (top)
smallpox Molten Ash Location: Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Posts: 134	Taking care of children is a responsibility that a parent must take. If they are negligent in doing so in a matter that can cause grievous or deadly bodily harm, then they deserve no authority to retain custody of the children. If we’d put the Pentagon in charge of protecting the ozone layer, they would have stockpiled chlorofluorocarbons as bargaining chips.

Jul 27, 2007, 06:56 pm	#2 (permalink) (top)
Alive Human Posts: 679	You mean parents should be able to force their children into not undergoing procedures that will allow them to save their lives? If you call that freedom, I want none of it.

Jul 27, 2007, 08:49 pm	#4 (permalink) (top)
Praxius Mass'Debator Posts: 4,723	They have said that there is not threat to the child's life right now, so chill out.... talk about jumping to conclusions with not enough information. For all you know the hospital wanted to pump this kid full of chemo and increase the risk further.... not towards the cancer, but to his general health at his age. If they have been given alternative cancer treatments which have been found to be credible, then they have that choice to avoid seeing their 3 year old suffer. I'm pretty sure they will take their child in as soon as they detect that their alternative solution isn't working..... but if they don't have to over kill the baby right now.... why bother to do it?

Jul 28, 2007, 04:03 pm	#5 (permalink) (top)
Nikkums Molten Ash Posts: 89	I was reading another article about this boy and his diet that says he was still on chemo when the parents started with the new diet. If he is not getting worse as a result from this diet and lack of medical treatment, i say fine. Let the parents try it. Do I think it will cure him? Not a chance.

Jul 30, 2007, 03:13 pm	#6 (permalink) (top)
Praxius Mass'Debator Posts: 4,723	Well you're right on the chances.... most of us are used to seeing nothing work besides Chemo.... but you never know. I do believe that as soon as the child's health does degrade, then they should do what the medical advice is recomending, if not, then the provience should take the child away for health reasons alone.... not really take away, but confine to a hospital for treatment, etc.