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LONDON (AP) — A 13-year-old British girl who has undergone nearly a dozen surgeries in her young life has refused a heart transplant operation — a decision that may ultimately lead to her death.
Hannah Jones, who was diagnosed with leukemia and later a heart condition, told her parents and medical authorities that she would rather spend her remaining time at home than in the hospital. Health authorities have ceded to the decision after interviewing the girl.
“I’ve been in hospital too much — I’ve had too much trauma,” Hannah Jones told Sky News on Tuesday. “I don’t want this, and it’s my choice not to have it.”
Hannah was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 4 years old. Chemotherapy put her into remission but doctors then discovered she had cardiomyopathy, a serious disease where the heart muscle becomes swollen and sometimes fails.
The girl’s story surfaced when parents complained about hospital officials who sent a social worker to interview the girl about her choice.
The family received a telephone call saying the hospital would take legal action if they didn’t bring Hannah to hospital, said her mother, Kirsty Jones.
Boy, for all this ‘Hope and Change‘ on the way, a lot of people sure do seem interested in killing themselves. First we had the assisted suicide proposition pass in Washington state, now we have a 13-year-old girl who is choosing to die to avoid a heart-transplant surgery. Her parents are throwing in the towel and she’s following suit. Can I blame a 13-year-old girl, who has spent a large portion of her life in and out of hospitals, for refusing a frightening surgery? No. But do we really want to extend this ridiculous right to die movement to cover kids?
In a letter to her family, Herefordshire Primary Care Trust said it had concluded it was “not appropriate” to seek a court order requiring Hannah to be admitted to hospital.
“No one can be forced to have a heart transplant,” it said in a statement.
Terry Schiavo, anyone?
According to experts, Young Hannah now has six months to live…
Where’s Dr. Bill Frist? Maybe he can examine her via video conference and further advise the family.
[...] She’d rather die… [The News Junkie] [...]
I am already skeptical of the british single pay healthcare system as it is and the idea that this is her choice? What is up with her parents leaving it to her to decide? Disneyland and holidays and tavel insurance is the ticket now.
I have never heard of such a thing, but I feel we will be hearing about similar situations in the future.
!
SHAWN equates this girl’s decision that she’s had enough to Obama? WHAT A SICK F is Shawn. Bringing up the disgusting mistakes his party made by insinuating themselves into the Schiavo family’s life and politicizing the issue for their own gain. A Republe supposed “doctor” diagnoses Schiavo from a video tape while on TV. Typical repugnant REPUBE behavior.
Man, I can’t get over this one. Is this the product of british healthcare? Have they bred apathy or is this an isolated case?
This is so crazy that I linked to your post.
Jason, this just shows the blatant hypocrisy of Shawn and his buddies on the right, they go on and on about getting
the government out of our personal lives and anytime anyone wants to make the most personal of all decision’s,the control over ones own body (to terminate a pregnancy or to die on ones own terms) they’re the first to call for governmental interference in that decision.
P.S.and as for you Shawn
,I can’t believe you have the chutzpah to bring up the fiasco the far-right made over Terry Schiavo, the mental anguish & spectacle you right-wing windbags put her poor family through. Not to mention the superhuman abilities of Sen. Frist and Sean Hannity to make a diagnosis through the magic of video-tape.And when the Supreme court weighed in and allowed that poor woman to die a natural death, the autopsy confirmed she had been brain dead for quite awhile (her brain had liquefied already)Shame on you Shawn. I think you & your buddies owe her loved ones your deepest heartfelt apologies
.
Which loved ones do you want us to apologize to, the parents or the soon to be ex-husband?
I think you misunderstood me. The decision here lies solely with this girl’s family. My bringing up the Terry Schiavo case was an effort to point out how controversial these debates can get. But in that case, the woman in question couldn’t tell the world what she wanted. This little girl can.
My only issue with this is when we put such heavy decisions in such little hands. It’s a sad tale.
Speak to God & Let your conscience (if still you have one left)tell you.
Exactly my point,Shawn. Sometimes everything isn’t clear-cut and the world can give us some rough
decisions to make.