Blog 16 (The Last One...Until Next Semester)

This is an article about a Minnesotan boy who refuses chemotherapy and radiation for Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer that doctors believe to be very curable. In the article, it is stated that the court has gotten involved for issues of child neglect. The boy's mom said that her family’s religious convictions say to do no harm to the body, and chemotherapy and radiation were poisons. “This is our religious belief, and we believe in traditional methods, and to strip that away would be stripping the soul from his body,” she said of Daniel (Forliti, 2009). Daniel's doctors think otherwise, though. “In my opinion the benefits of treatment far outweigh the risks of treatment,” Bostrom testified (Forliti, 2009).

Adding to the family's stress, they believe an aunt died from chemo while being treated for cancer. The mom also said that she was upset because her boy was sick from the chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is one of most significant advances in the history of medicine. There is a website dedicated to informing viewers of chemotherapy and a long list of side effects was listed. The side effects may be acute, chronic, or permanent. Most of the side effects like nausea, mouth sores, and hair loss sound very uncomfortable and awful to have to deal with. But when you think about it, is dealing with these seemingly mild symptoms in comparison to cancer worth it? Many people believe so, but this boy and his family don't. So who is the government to tell this family what to believe? When I first read this article, I thought that it was crazy that this boy would refuse chemo for cancer. The latter of the two obviously has worse side effects and a greater risk of death. But when I really began to think about it, I realized that everyone has their own beliefs and convictions. What others believe, I may not and vice versa.

The website lists other treatments for cancer, but the boy and her family are taking their own approach--one that isn't listed on the site. Rather, their treatment program is widely suggested to prevent cancer. Among other things, Daniel is following a nutritious diet, drinking ionized water, and taking vitamins and herbal supplements. His spiritual beliefs and faith in his natural medicines are also helping him heal, they say. I don't know how well I think this will work. I'm far from a cancer expert, but I know that cancer can be genetic. No matter how healthy you eat, you can't defeat your family's genes. What are your thoughts on this issue? Do you think that the boy's mother should be charged for child abuse or is she just looking out for what she thinks is best for her child?