Running away from chemotherapy: What do you think?

The mother has the best interest for the child , her faith can do what medicine or chemical treatment can't . We should be educated first what natural medicine does and respect other people decisions, we need to be more faithful than judging others and maybe we can become better human beings and have less problems!! I think is about time we wake up!!

Chemotherapy is radiation, which is the same thing Hitler used on the Jews. What kind of government tells us what kind of medication we HAVE to use? I know lots of people that have cured cancer naturally, whit natural treatments that don't kill every other good cell in the body like chemotherapy... The mother is doing the right thing, the government needs to step down. Take that baby boy and run, do not allow them to poison him!!!!!!!

Does anyone realize the pain and misery chemotherapy causes a person? Not to mention a small child. Ask the child if he wants to suffer through chemo. I have never had cancer but I do work in a hospital. I see what these patients go through with chemo.

Year after year the media plays, "Gotcha" with the lives of good police officers in difficult situations, while criminals get rich even after they get caught. What if he ran over a dozen children before he crashed? Why would anyone want to be a Police Officer? After graduating at the top of my police academy, I decided it wasn't worth it.

it should be the families decision! In no way should we allow the goverment to start telling us what medical treatment you or i should recieve. Even if we disagree with the mothers decision, it is her and her sons decision, not the goverments

That just shows how wrong things are in the US, I hope they leave the family alone..after all they're going through; now the law wants to make the heartache even bigger. Mom has the right to refuse!

Im a firm believer of, Freedom of Choice!
Andrew Valdez
Kokomo, Indiana

If the mom wants to watch her son die, why should we stop it? Isn't letting someone die the same as murder?

You can't quit. I've known too many survivors one being my mom, mother-in-law, ex-sister-in-law, etc... We have come to far to give up the ghost and a young boy is going to rely on his parents especially his mother to make the right decisions for him. Suck it up mom and support him through the treatments. The alternative is much worst trust me. Being a former moma's boy myself, I would have followed my mother through the gates of hell if she wanted me to not knowing any better.

Well if a parent can leagally choose not to vaccinate his/her child (possibly infecting other kids) then choosing to not treat the cancer has to be repected as well

I respect the parent's desire to follow an ancient and wise religion or belief. However, I have seen over and over from personal experience with family and friends how some who become fanatics with their beliefs end up creating alternative worlds and mentalities and losing the ability to rationalize.. I'm afraid the parents may be making an unintentional mistake because they are so wrapped up in their beliefs that they fail to see the life saving solution to save their boy's life. My heart goes out to these folks and I wish them the best.

We are faced with two "slippery slopes". Do we surrender more personal rights to governmental control, or do we permit parents to allow serious harm to their children in the name of "parental rights"? I fear neither road leads anywhere we wnt to go and, once started, either condition will only get worse.

Chemo is a lot harder on a person than most Doctor will tell you. After Chemo my husbands immune system never recovered. Anyone should have the right to refuse chemo. Whether the parents are correct or not, they are the parents and the government should not be allowed to have a say in medical treatment of an individual.

This should be a family decision as long as they are realistic and within good timing. Their prefered alternative treatment should be presented to the court within a certain time, otherwise the court should then decide.

How can a court mandate someone to take chemotherapy if they don't want it? This is completely ridiculous! My mom died, not from cancer, but from a side effect of a chemotherapy drug that caused her intestine to perforate. I would not want chemotherapy either and no judge could force me to take it!

Tough call, but I don't think the Government has the right to tell families what to do. If he was over 18 this wouldn't be an issue. Having watched too many people go through hideous cancer treatments and then die anyway, I can't say they should be forced to do anything.

So I am wondering how this mother will feel when her "natural medicine" doesn't work and her child dies from the cancer he has. Yes Chemotheropy is radiation and has been used against innocent people to kill them, but when this chemotheropy could help this boy then embrace the medical assistance of radiation. And when the boy gets older and has a better health condition I hope the mother of this boy will appologize for her ignorance and being a coward.

In the case of Daniel I only have one comment, but several things to say. What happened to "SEPERATION OF CHURCH AND STATE"? If Daniel's beliefs are that of Native Americans how can the government step in and say his beliefs arent valid. Native American medicines and beliefs have been here longer than we as a civilation have been in north america. if anything Native Americans have Homiopathic cures and remidies far longer than our government has been in "controll". I feel that if the government told me i had to put radiation in my body without my concent i would flee as well. Good luck Daniel i hope your beliefs will guide you to your answer in life no matter what it may be. without hopes and dreams life isnt worth living. Dont let our government take it away from you.

As the mother of a 3 1/2 yr old child with Stage 3 Rhabdomyosarcoma, I can tell you that until you have seen your child lay like a dishrag on the floor for months, or lay in a hospital bed unwilling to get up and go play in the playroom, you cannot understand what the thoughts of this mother actually are.
Chemo has its own set of problems. They are very real. They can kill a child. The side effects of chemo and radiation caused my daughter to stop eating. She went from 29.5 lbs at the beginning of treatment to 23.5 lbs. You could see every bone in her body. She wouldn't eat anything. Finally they placed a g-tube to feed her. She had to have a medport placed to do the chemo (standard). At one point I had to fight them because they had to put her under general anesthesia every day for the radiation and her esophagus would get swollen. They wanted to place a trach in her neck. My daughter was unable to do most stuff for herself anymore. The first 2 months she couldn't even walk. We had to pick her up and take her where ever she needed to go. We of coarse were willing to do anything to keep her alive. But you begin to question your own motives. The fear of losing your child keeps you from making the right choices at times. We begin talking about where that imaginary line is in the sand. At what point were we not going to allow her to be tortured day in and day out. Her first battle was 54 weeks long. Hopefully we never have to make this choice, but we have all decided we aren't going to allow her life to be nothing but this treatment. There are children with her cancer that are on their 5th battle. 90% of their lives are nothing but chemo. They get more and more of their bodies cut off. The chemo also causes cognative development issues in most of these children. My daughter has autism and this causes her all kinds of additional problems. Who knows, it may have worsened this as well.
Trust me, this mother has thought this through. This is hideous. Adults who have less chemo refuse to live in this manner. At what point did our kids become nothing? Unless it is 100% guarantee there is risk. There is risk even then with the chemo toxicity. We were inpatient for 3 month of her treatment total, several children died from the treatment, not the disease. We need to remember this is POISON. It is wonderful that we can cure some of these children but we take it too far. Why do we think these kids are simply science experiments and we don't value their quality of life?

i am absolutely thrilled the mother is running away with her son. this is a true example of a no-choice scenario. in the western world we are all pressured and expected to conform, while a story like these two is truely beautiful.

The issue at hand is the principle and not the child. From this perspective the issue becomes the meaning of a state interference in parental choices.
We accept certain parameters placed on our parental rights and conditions set for the right of the state to interfere to protect children. We accept it because we believe those principles are in our collective societal best interest. We do not have here a case of child abuse or parental neglect. The matter at hand is about choices of loving and caring parents which they make based on their religious values and assessment of how best to protect their child from harm. We may not like the opinions of the parents but does that mean the state should have the legal right to interfere? Are we prepared to let the state interfere on the basis of value Judgment? To be sure, it would be only value Judgment as basis for an interference, because there is no basis to say there is child abuse or parental neglect. I believe that with focus on the correct issue, people would be more hesitant to support state interference despite of the specific context. A further point is that there are still other options available besides force, which would be more amicable and may very well result in the meeting of the minds without traumatic experiences to the family.
The preservation of Democracy is always a matter of a ballancing act between the rights of the public and the rights of the individual with a need to keep a constant attention to the best interest of both. A society that can handle this challenge can also accept the collateral liabilities that each objective may suffer to protect the other, in an alternating continuum.

"Chemotherapy is radiation, which is the same thing Hitler used on the Jews. What kind of government tells us what kind of medication we HAVE to use? I know lots of people that have cured cancer naturally, whit natural treatments that don’t kill every other good cell in the body like chemotherapy… The mother is doing the right thing, the government needs to step down. Take that baby boy and run, do not allow them to poison him!!!!!!!"

I... you.... what....?
I'm sorry, are you on crack?

A 13 year old child with minor learning disabilities lacks the maturity (in every way) to make such a critical decision about his health. It's up to the parents to make sure that their child receives the benefit of ALL medically necessary treatment for his health and healing. The child is NOT terminal. There IS hope with the right MEDICAL treatment.

What is wrong with that judge. It should be up to the parents not the government. The child had no say in this matter. If the parents says no, it means no. i work in a hospital setting. I see this all the time. It is the patient`s right to refuse. However, the medical community has to give their patients reason why to have this procedure done. If the the child and parent still refuses, honor that refusal.

It should be left up to the boy to decide if he wants the treatment. My aunt had breast cancer an she refused treatment because of her beliefs an no one made her do it or took it to court. She's now has been passed away for 6 years god bless her but it was her right an choice. So this should be left up to him an family.

it's the parents and child choice... Not the court!

If the father is the primary custodian, what the mother is doing is clearly illegal and she risks prison time if she fails to take good care of the boy, which includes considering the opinion of a doctor. I wish them luck with the 'alternative medicine'. Better work or someone could be serving time.

If this child had been starved , abused, or neglected, our judicial system would have removed him from that environment. Is this not a form of abuse or neglect? A child cannot decide what is best for them. If a parent is unable or unwilling to provide the best care, then who's responsibility is it to help this minor?

In the summer of 1966 I took a trip to the Ozarks of Missouri with my father to visit relativities. The first night there, (Friday) I went for a walk along a creek alone in a pair of shorts and stepped in a hole that engulfed me up to my waist. As I crawled out I discovered that I was covered with Tics (A small blood sucking parasite) that rapidly burrowed in and attached themselves to my lower extremities. I did my best to free myself from their grip but in doing so a lot of their heads were broken off under the skin. My Dad took me to the country Doctor on Saturday and he gave me some ointment to put on my legs that were by now red, swollen and draining from infection. By the time My Dad returned me home to my Grand parent’s home in St. Louis late Sunday night, my legs had doubled in size and my right leg had turned black. My Mother and Grand mother rushed me to a large metropolitan hospital downtown were I was promptly seen by the resident emergency room physician. After a brief examination of my condition I could see him conferring with my mother a cross the room. After several minutes y mother approached me, knelt down and very calmly said,” The Doctor say’s, if we don’t remove your leg right away you are going to die.”
Without even taking a breath I answered back,” well I guess I’m going to die.” I don’t want to go through life on one leg. My mother walked back across the emergency room and re-engaged the physician. I could see him becoming very angry waving his arms and even stomping his feet and shouting at my mother. He then turned and approached me still shouting and waving his arms stating “if we don’t remove your leg you’re going to die!’ My mother still calm and collected looked the Doctor in the eye and said” It’s not your leg it’s his. When it’s your leg you get to make the decision but tonight it’s his leg and he has decided not to have it amputated.
The entire emergency room staff could not believe that mother had empowered a 9 year old boy to make a life or death decision for himself.
She was right; it was my leg and my life.
Everything in this country revolves around Money and on all of that Money it the phrase “In God we trust” so, do just that. If nothing else this child knows what is best for him. It is his life, the life that was given to him. Let his live it as he see fit. When it’s your Cancer or your leg you get to make the choice. I almost forgot to mention I’m 52 years old I didn’t die and I still have both legs that work very well.

How is this any different than religions that refuse blood transfusions? We as a medical society adhere to their wishes.

I have seen a lot of people go through this type of cancer treatment and lived a while longer. But their life was not worth much they just existed. They had no quality of life left, just a lot of suffering until the end. One thing we need to remember we all have to leave this planet some day. Where we go from there is what a person believes will happen. So do we all want a long life of misery and quanity or do we want to live the best we can maybe for a shorter life span, and be able to live some of it with joy. End of life with cancer is bad either way. Myself, I chose to have fewer days I can enjoy than to be a burden to my children for a long time. Remember, I got to leave here some day and I am prepared to go any day.
One other thing: Why don't we talk about the medicine that is told cures all cancer. I have read about it in several places, it is called GRAVIOLA. A pill that kills all cancer cells through the body. I know if this pill was put on the market there would be a lot of doctors and nurses out of a job. Perhaps maybe we better stick with making money not saving human lives.

Hey, There are many healthy options in healing.
Let's hear more of the success stories.
Also, there are many countries whose citizens are free to pursue healthy alternatives,wherever they may be found.
The drug ,cut and burn companies really try to fight this.
All blessings for total health to all.

I think all this scrutiny for a dying young boy and his family must be hard for them. Still, we need to give him a chance to live, despite what his parents think.

This is Gov and Med out of control. Americans should rally to this family! Bravo. May God bless and keep this little boy and his precious protective mother from the evil of out of control medicine. Who do the doctors think they are?

Personally I do not feel that this young man's mom is trying to hurt her son, but I only see a doctor trying to keep lining his money pocket and fears loosing business to alternative treatments...

Absolutly NOTHING should be forced upon ANYBODY at ANY age. It's time that the doc's and our government quit playing God and let we the people decide what's best for us!!

I am writing in regards to the story about the young man suffering from cancer in your state that has been on the run with his mother. I am happy to know that mother and son are well. However, I am sickened to know that as a nurse the "Patients Bill of Rights" is no longer valid. You can find the bill of rights at the following website: (http://www.aha.org/resource/pbillofrights.html)

As a parent, I am frightened that our government continues to tell us when or when not to treat our children and how it should or in this case WILL be done! Why is this not seen as a problem or being reported as so is beyond me!

If this family chooses not to treat their child, who are we to tell them YOU WILL and YOU WILL DO IT THIS WAY OR FACE JAIL! It's not that they weren't going to treat him, just using different methods based on their beliefs! Next, will the government start charging mothers for not breastfeeding or vaccinating their children. Child welfare is the utmost importance, but so is the right to chose!

I became a nurse to help others and be an avocate to them and for their needs/choices. I am saddend today to say I am part of this profession that allows such injustice to be done! When and where does the patient have any rights now? Only you as individuals and owner of your own bodies can change this and make sure another case, perhaps even one that is self involved, does not become victim to this travesty!

The right to our choices regarding our bodies is the true story here.

I thought we lived in the land of the FREE! What a joke when big brother can tell us how to take care of our children!

I think the parents and the child should decide. What if the diagnosis was incorrect or maybe the lab tests were mixed with another patient. If he had a bad diagnosis and they gave him chemotherapy could the chemo cause him to have a chemically induced cancer? Did he have a second opinion? Is the state going to pay for the chemo that they are forcing him to take. Doctors are not Gods they make mistakes just like you and me. What we should be asking the courts or someone higher up in government is why is everyone getting cancer in the first place and what are they going to do about it to stop it from happening ?

I think the government should keep it's stinking nose out of this families business, why in the world do they think they have the right to tell this child and his family what they can and should do. That child is old enough to make a decision, he had one treatment and decided it wasn't for him, let him live out his life the way he wants. Get out of their business.

We are also forgetting the financial side of this, what if they can't afford the treatments? Is it fair to put he whole family into a state of financial trouble to save this boy? There are other children to consider here, what if all this puts the family out on the street? Now they have done damage to many people. Not everyone has insurance, and even if they did, with the way the insurance companies are these days, they probably wouldn't pay anyway. No one knows their circumstances better than the family. I say leave them alone and let them do what they think is right. To many people getting rich off the rest of the world. It is time to let people decide their own fate.

wow untill this morning I never knew one could be forced to take chemo. I'm assuming this is because is is a minor? Well then shouldn't that be the decision of the parent? I was reading that the religion of the boy and the boys family believes in natural healing , so in turn by the goverment forcing him to take something his religion does not believe in , isn't that taking away his freedom of religion which is a right of every united states citizien?

I think that it is great to see someone taking charge or their own health. Yes, doctors do go to school fo a long time and they SHOULD have the answers. It is not the courts right to impose medical care on citizens. We are smart and we do research illnesses, we are able to make an informed decision as to our course of treatment. 13 year olds do however need guidance, if this child's mother felt she could get better care outside of the United States (as many others have done over the years) who is the government to stop her??? Healthcare needs to be revamped so that cost decline and care increases, and yes, this can be done....

In my opinion Daniel Hauser faces a hard decision. John Stuart Mill said in 19th Century “The main right in any person is the right of freedom”
Banner Hero
God Bless you Daniel!

So a kid gets sick and he goes to the DR and the Dr says "Take 2 of these and in the morning and you will get well" the kid says "no no god will make me better ". A week later he is sicker and he goes to the DR and the doc says "Your illness has advanced and now you need to do chemo for 2 months and you will get better". The kid says "no no god will save me" 2 months pass and he gets so sick he is on his death bed and the DR says "Your illness has progressed more and now requires surgery there is a 90% chance we can save you." The kid says "no no god will save me." A week later the kid passes and when he gets to St. Peter at the Golden Gates he says to St Peter "I don’t understand I am a devout believer and I did everything I could do, but still I died, I don’t understand? " St Peter says “hmm let me look at the book son? HMM that’s interesting; It shows here that we sent you medicine, then chemo, and a surgeon. I don’t understand why you are here either?"

Doctors who needs em? Let the kid choose what he wants and let natural selection take its due course. Make the parents sign something that says they know the odds and are willing to plead guilty to manslaughter should the child die due to the illness.

I think the mom sould not have ran away from treatment. her god will forgive thim. they should have done the treatment
and not make her son sufer

I think it should be up to the family and the person. If the person is old enough it should be soley up to them but I would ask the family how they feel.

I just finished chemo and I promise if I have a reaccurance I would never go thru it again. It like to have killed me. And I have no voice anymore cause my port leaked. So I say let the person decide. No judge unless he has gone thur chemo has the right to make that choice for anyone.

How could a mother watch her child suffer? I don't understand that. I think she is being selfish!

I do not agree with the mom but I see it every day with the Amish and don’t see the government stepping in and making them take medical treatment so what is good for one should be good for all

People have right to have a choice.Can any doctor guarantee that chemo will work? Obviously not ! If somebody doesn't want to have chemo its reason for it.Its plenty of alternatives.People in communistic countries had more freedom then anybody in US. Let this poor people alone.They will find their way.

My best friend dies of cancer 3 years ago from a "curable" cancer. They first tried to remove the cancer, then radiation, till finally chemo. For those 3-2 years fighting the cancer she missed out on vacations (because she was too sick and weak from the strong medication or poison in her body..because that's what it is...) that she would of been able to enjoy had she not been sick.

It's the patients decision. I certainly would not take the treatment if itwas recommended. No one gets out of alive; why not focus on enjoying a happy life as long as we can't without medication stealing our last days.

-Florida

I went through this myself with Breast Cancer and would never do it again. The Surgery, Pain and Chemo Drugs have left like a vegetable in alot of cases. The cyst was only .5 cm very small

Im in Pain all the time I was told after all this was over I would feel better than ever. What a joke. I will never go threw it again. It takes a little from me everyday. Its an effort to get out of bed just to take a shower, and to bend my knees wrists every joint. takes hours to get it mobile again. This gets worse every day. It has been years, its not going away . I am so tired of it I just want it to endl.I keep praying it will go away

I don't think anyone should be forced into taking chemotherapy, it can really screw your body up and it is very hard to get back into any type of shape, so the choice has to come from the person that is going to do it, nobody else can make that choice. I did it once and probably won't be doing it again, and that is my choice.