A Canadian hospital has given in to demands to send a terminally ill baby home so he can die surrounded by family. But the hospital is still refusing to give thirteen-month-old Joseph Maraachli treatment that his parents believe will prolong - but not save - his life.The London Health Sciences Centre in Ontario has now beefed up security after the threats in the growing dispute over the rights of Baby Joseph, as he has been dubbed.Joseph has a fatal neuro-degenerative disease and can only survive with the aid of a ventilator.
His parents Moe Maraachli and Sana Nader want to him to have a tracheotomy, which would allow him to breathe without the respirator and which they believed could prolong his life by up to six months.Then they want to take him home so he can die surrounded by relatives. But doctors are refusing to do the tracheotomy, saying that it would needlessly prolong his life. Instead they wanted to turn off the life support machine and let him die on the ward.Today the hospital announced it has backed down on its refusal to let the family take Joseph home and let him die there. But officials are standing strong over the tracheotomy, instead insisting that hospital staff take Joseph off the ventilator once he gets home - perhaps only giving him minutes to live. Joseph has been on life support at the Centre since last October.Eight years ago, his parents had another child, a daughter named Zina. She had a similar condition, was given a tracheotomy, and managed to survive for six more months after the family took her home....‘I do my best for my baby. My son is not a criminal . . . to just let him die,’ said Mr Maraachli. ‘I cannot pray like this. I want to cry, I want to feel with my baby and I cannot do this.’ Ms Nader added: ‘When I’m in the hospital, I don’t feel I’m in Canada, I feel I’m in some country with no human rights.’
Let the parents decide instead of some childless bureaucrats! I'd take my baby for six months over a few days despite the problems. It's a trach - not a heart transplant. These operations are common and inexpensive. Its just that bureaucrats want to decide who lives and dies.
Everyone who screams for "free" healthcare end up transferring all control of their health decisions to the government. If you are of no value to the state, you will be eliminated. A 6 month old will never pay taxes.
God bless the family and I'll be praying for them.