Jehovah's Witness teen doing well without transfusion Girl at centre of court battle in N.Y. hospital Isabel Vincent National Post May 25, 2005 A Jehovah's Witness teenager from British Columbia will be released today from an elite New York children's hospital after undergoing medical treatment without blood transfusions. "She hasn't required any blood transfusions and her hemoglobin is stable," said Michael Lacorte, director of the blood avoidance program at Schneider Children's Hospital. "The most difficult part of the therapy has been concluded. For the next two months she will be treated as an outpatient." The 14-year-old has been at the centre of a Canada-wide legal battle over whether she can seek bloodless treatment for her bone cancer in the United States. Blood transfusions are contrary to her family's religious beliefs. Her physicians at the B.C. Children's Hospital in Vancouver had said last month she would likely need a transfusion following chemotherapy, which can inhibit the growth of blood cells. The girl travelled with her parents to Toronto to seek a second opinion at the Hospital for Sick Children -- in contravention of a B.C. court order that she undergo treatment in her home province. An Ontario Superior Court judge this month upheld the B.C. ruling, and ordered the girl to be flown back for treatment, even though her family had made arrangements to have her treated at the Schneider hospital. The girl, who cannot be identified because of a court-imposed publication ban, was prohibited from travelling to the United States with her family. She was led sobbing from a downtown Toronto courtroom, and transported by air ambulance to Vancouver a few hours after the hearing. But last week, the family, their lawyers and the B.C. ministry of Children and Family Development agreed to a compromise, and allowed the teenager, who will be 15 next month, to be treated at the New York hospital, which specializes in bloodless medical treatments for children. "We came to an agreement that was filed before the court that none of the parties would be commenting on this matter," said Jeremy Berland, the assistant deputy minister of Children and Family Development in an interview from Victoria yesterday. "We wish her the best, and we want to respect her right to privacy." Although physicians at Schneider Children's Hospital have said they cannot offer an ironclad guarantee that they can treat her without resorting to transfusions, they have had a great deal of experience treating children without using blood products, Dr. Lacorte said, adding that hospital staff and administrators believe that avoiding blood transfusions in children is good medicine. The girl was diagnosed in December with osteogenic sarcoma, a bone cancer, in her right leg. She later underwent surgery in Vancouver to remove a cancerous tumour from her leg, and was told by her physician at the B.C. Children's Hospital that he would likely need to administer transfusions with the chemotherapy treatments. Shane Brady, the lawyer for the child's family, said they were "delighted" with last week's agreement with the B.C. ministry, although he would not comment further on the negotiations that led to the resolution. "The family has been through a really gruelling experience," said Dr. Lacorte. "They would really like some anonymity right now. We have had a lot of interest from local media, but we're not responding." According to Dr. Lacorte, the girl, who was first seen by doctors at Schneider last Wednesday, has already undergone the most difficult phase of her treatment, which has included surgery and chemotherapy. Dr. Lacorte would did not elaborate on any specific treatments she received, but said she will remain in the New York area until mid-July and be treated at the hospital as an outpatient. In March, Canadian doctors removed a cancerous tumour from her right leg. The family is living with a local Jehovah's Witness family, Dr. Lacorte said. "All I can tell you is she is in good spirits and has a really great sense of humour," said Dr. Lacorte. "She's a doll."
Canadian Teenager update
by InquiryMan 4 Replies latest watchtower medical
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TheListener
I'm glad she's ok and hope she does well.
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kwintestal
I know its been a while, but has anyone heard how this girl is doing?
Kwin
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greendawn
Let's hope that this bloodless treatment does well and that it will not claim another victim for the WTS insane blood policies. Apparently she's doing well up to now.
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GetBusyLiving
Thank goodness she's okay.
GBL