Please read this article.
Initially I was outraged by this article. I do not think that in most cases a court has any right to determine what a family or person should do with their medical or dietary options. I will site other examples later. But after reading into this a little more, my view on this case started to change. The family says that they are rejecting conventional therapy for religious reasons. My first thought was why did they go through with the first treatment if that was the case? This feeling was confirmed by medical blogger, "Respectful Insolence," who's two part blog has a lot of very helpful information about the medical point of view behind this case. I personally have seen this religious way of treating rip two sisters apart. One insisted that whatever happen was Gods will, and the other that it didn't mean she couldn't seek some sort of treatment. In the Hauser case though, I was at least encouraged that they were seeking other treatments. But then there is the issue that this 13 year old boy claims to be not only a medicine man, but also an elder of an American Indian religion called Nemenheh. At 13? I realize that in the days before the european settlers, most Indian men when through a ritual of becoming men around the age 13, but I don't think they were appointed Medicine men or Elders quite so early. Maybe I'm wrong.
So as I dug deeper into the case I started siding with Judge Rodenbergs decision, but I still say government intervention is a slipper slope. At what age can a child be held accountable for his own decisions? Ultimately the choice should be the child's and NOT the parents, but how can a child make this decision on his own?
There are bigger issues at play here though. one of which is that the family should not be criticized for seeking alternative treatments. "Respectful Insolence," will disagree with me here, but Science is not always right. The conventional medical way is not the only way. And frankly, medicine is more big business then it is about healing. People like Brenda Cobb have overcome breast and cervical cancer without drugs or surgery but by using detoxification methods and nutrition. You can read her story at The Living Foods Institute website, or which Brenda is Founder and Director. The website has some other testimonials of people that have avoid drugs and surgery with diet.
"Respectful Insolence," writes about another case where a woman rejected conventional treatment for an alternative by a Dr Robert O. Young. In the specific case the patient reported that Dr Young's treatment had cured her of breast cancer even though she can still feel the lump. This is very irresponsible and she should be returning for further testing. I have not followed Dr Young and don't know much about his practices. According to his website cancer can be prevented and even cured with a pH balanced alkaline diet. I have herd of this before and know that the medical community for the most part says this does not hold water.
Dr Young is not the first to use this method. Dr Otto Warburg has done great research in the area of cancer. He discovered that the primary cause of cancer is weakening cell structure due to lack of oxygen at the cellular level. The damaged cell respiration causes fermentation, which results in low pH. When Dr. Warburg announced his finding how did his peers react? By giving him the Noble Prize in 1931. I have to admit, Dr Warburg's studies do lean toward prevention not treatment, and it could be easy to see how once cancer has taken a strong hold, dietary actions my be like putting a band-aid on a severed arm.
As I was preparing to write a closing statement, I came across the news the Daniel and his mother Colleen Hauser have disappeared. I guess having the States view pushed onto them was too overwhelming and they ran. Probably not the best option! Now once found, Colleen and husband Anthony will loose custody of their son and not even be able to support him in the tough times he has ahead of them.
In the mean time, my heart goes out to the Hauser family. May the find peace in whatever outcome they find. Although that is unlikely now.
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