Transplant denial for mentally disabled child raises questions

[Deven]

A 3 year old little girl at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is being denied a family living donor kidney on the basis that she is mentally handicapped.

Her Mother's Blog on the Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome support site

The ABC News article, with an interview with her parents

"But then, I was told we couldn't because she was mentally retarded," she said. "Those were the exact words on a piece of paper."

I point to the paper and he lets me rant a minute. I can’t stop pointing to the paper. “This phrase. This word. This is why she can’t have the transplant done.”

“Yes.”

I begin to shake. My whole body trembles and he begins to tell me how she will never be able to get on the waiting list because she is mentally retarded.

CHOP is now denying the allegation it's because she's mentally handicapped, stating that they have done other transplants on mentally challenged children before, but they cannot comment specifically on Amelia's case.

So, we deny people the right to deny with dignity, at their choosing (euthanasia) and we try to deny people the right to terminate a pregnancy on their terms, but they are denying a family the right to donate one of THEIR kidneys (they weren't going to put Amelia on the registry list) so that she may have a shot at living? The kidney that Amelia would receive wouldn't deny someone else that right to life; if Amelia didn't need it, it would stay in the donor's body.

She WILL die if she doesn't get this kidney within six months to a year. I feel sickened by this, and it also makes me question CHOP. My Godson goes there every month due to his diabetes and arthritis, and I question that they are making the best decisions for him...

 

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