Imagine you child needed a kidney transplant.
You have the donor.
You are at one of the best hospitals in the country.
You are ready to move on and get this life saving procedure behind you.
Except, the doctor doesn’t think your child is smart enough, will be able to offer enough to society.
The doctor’s exact words go something like this: “Noooo. She—is—not—eligible –because—of—her—quality– of –life—Because—of—her—mental—delays”
Wait. If you are a parent of a typical child your odds of hearing this are slim. Not so if you are the parent of a child with special needs.
The stories are everywhere, the child with Down syndrome who also has CF and is told that when the time comes they will be denied a lung transplant, another family of a child with Down syndrome being told that ‘the organs can’t be wasted’, if their child ever needs a transplant.
In this day and age a child can be refused lifesaving treatment because they are developmentally delayed.
Denying treatment to an entire population of people. It stuns me. What’s the definition of eugenics, again?
Change.org is taking action. Go here to sign a petition to save Amelia’s life by insisting CHOP perform this surgery.
You may choose to look me in the eye and tell me that the worth of your typical child is greater than the worth of my kid with an extra chromosome. But I’m telling you now that you’d better run like hell if you do.
Between attitudes like this and the libertarians, it’s past time for parents of kids with special needs to stand up and make themselves heard, on the local, state AND federal level.
Done! Just signed! This makes me so mad!!
I signed it. Shared your blog post on facebook to try and get others to. Really considering sending a not to FOX news or something to try and get the message out about this. Mental Delays should not factor into transplant qualifications.
Twitter: politicaljules
Jan 14, 12
AMEN! My favorite line… “You may choose to look me in the eye and tell me that the worth of your typical child is greater than the worth of my kid with an extra chromosome. But I’m telling you now that you’d better run like hell if you do.”
Just as a side not though. She doesn’t have down syndrome. She has another disorder and has extra needs. She is also HIV positive which shouldn’t matter either. But it isn’t because she has downs… but just special needs in general.
Heading over now…this is so unfair…who is to judge the quality of another’s life???
I’m signing the petition and sharing on Twitter.