A mother testified that religious beliefs prevent her son from taking chemo. Doctors said he will likely die without it.
The drama of deciding treatment usually takes a heavy toll on the patient. But when the patient is under age, and the mother decides one way or the other, should she be persecuted?
Article 3 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child states
1. In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.
Article 6 states that
1. States Parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to life.
The dilemma here is the debate between the viability of traditional treatment and alternative or complementary alternative medical (CAM) treatments as regards a patient who is not of age, whose mother is making decisions for him, and whose decisions are deemed not in his interest...
Having had a diagnosis myself of breast cancer in 2000, I was traumatized as to what direction to take. I was scared stiff of chemotherapy and radiation as I knew and saw the ravages of the body while going through the treatment; I also have friends who are still around after the treatment for many years, and others who have died despite having had the treatment.
Making the decision not to undergo chemotherapy nor radiation was mind-wrenching and totally against the wishes of many of my colleagues as well as my medical team. However, my decision was based on the fact that, no matter what the issue, death is inevitable, therefore I could choose to die without my body being ravaged by the effects of the conventional treatment. I decided on a lumpectomy and have been going for six-monthly and yearly check ups with my oncologist and radiologist ever since.
However, I did not stop there. I relentlessly and actively pursued information and worked with technicians and professionals in the alternative/CAM arena of treatment, as well as pursued other spiritual and religious enriching environments. In addition, I radically changed the way I eat and learned quite a lot about healing ability of the mind and the body; as well as the importance of the colon; of toxins and toxicity in the highly chemicalized foods we eat; of the pollutants in the air we breathe, the chemicals in the water we use, etc...
Underpinning all of the above, was a belief system that got stronger and stronger the farther I strayed from conventional treatments. And this is what I suppose is driving the decision of the mother for her son - her belief that the way she is choosing to treat the disease will work for her son.
Given his age however, it is not know what would have been his choice. Is he following his mom because he also believes or because she is his mom and moms know best?
Given his age, and the fact that his mother has chosen "wrong" as is being debated in the medical circles, is that why she is being pursued? And what if she had chosen right according to the medical establishment?
Chances are that the unthinkable could occur - with both choices. So why can't a mother choose what she believes is best for her child. Would the Convention on the Rights of the Child have supported the mother's argument if it had been ratified by the United States?
There is a need for more information to be shared on the different modalities of treatment for cancer. I no longer hold the opinion that if the person with the disease does not follow the traditional practices that they will live a life of sorrow and suffering. I have seen people following traditional practices as well as alternative/CAM practices and both at times result in sorrow and suffering and death.
What is the most critical element of the decision as to which path to take, is the patient's belief that the path they decide on is the best one for them, and they hold fast and believe and do all that they can to address their vulnerable health conditions using their method of choice.
Then we can deal with the outcome and result as we have believed and chosen for our good.
For earlier articles visit - Towards a documentary on Breast Cancer
Plastics and Breast Cancer
Inflammation and Breast Cancer
Laughter TherapyCAM use high among autism patients.(Mental Health)(complementary and alternative medicine): An article from: Family Practice News
