Re: The Alfie Evans case has proven we have to change the law in favour of parents

That was very sobering ... and all I thought was ... poor little mite to suffer all that and poor parents. I hope they can find some measure of peace now, all of them.

Re: The Alfie Evans case has proven we have to change the law in favour of parents

I get what you're saying Annie ... it would be any parents worst nightmare but after reading that catalogue of convulsions, seizures, coma, inability to breathe or swallow or react to any external stimuli and a destroyed brain ... without the intervention to switch off the machine I shudder to think of the collective suffering for such a young family and when it would have ended.
I agree it's a parents right to question findings and hold out hope (what parent wouldn't?) ... so we're basically down to the nub of .... who makes the final decision.
And Alfie's parents couldn't bring themselves to do it.
Which is understandable.
I have the utmost sympathy for them.

Re: The Alfie Evans case has proven we have to change the law in favour of parents

I completely agree with you AnnieS and found the cold unyielding granite face of the law very disturbing. I can never understand why, when the hospital sai d there was nothing more they could do, the law prevented Alfie being taken to Italy. He was going to die anyway eventually, how much more humane would it have been to allow his parents their wish that he recieve pallative care in Italy. If the Italian doctors considered it worthwhile who was the English judiciary to refuse?
In all this I find it terrifying that the state has such power over us and over that most precious of all bonds between parent and child.

Re: The Alfie Evans case has proven we have to change the law in favour of parents

The interests of the child should always come first NEVER that of the parents. Taking poor Alfie to Rome would have only caused him more suffering. Thank goodness he died and is at peace.

Re: The Alfie Evans case has proven we have to change the law in favour of parents

That is exactly how OH's mother spent 3 weeks dying. There is no switch for such adult suffering. Adults can die in agony where they wish but are denied the right to die. The balance of power should be with the person suffering or their carers.

There was the controversial case of Ashya King 3 years ago. The child is now free of cancer having been "kidnapped" by his parents and taken to mainland Europe for Proton Beam therapy. The parents were arrested at the time. They are now building Proton Beam therapy units in the UK.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-32013634

Re: The Alfie Evans case has proven we have to change the law in favour of parents

Please explain why parents who have no medical knowledge should have their wishes carry some weight and be respected ?
In this case the father wouldn’t accept specialist doctor’s opinions against his sentimental wish to keep his vegetative state son alive thinking or even believing that a miracle cure would be found .

Re: The Alfie Evans case has proven we have to change the law in favour of parents

Re: The Alfie Evans case has proven we have to change the law in favour of parents

I agree that adults should have the right.
Interestingly, some suggest that should voluntary euthanasia ever be introduced it lies in the hands of medical professionals to administer it. Not the individual themselves. You can't avoid the 'input' of professionals to keep it legal unless you wish to implicate a well-meaning relative or risk having them prosecuted.

I see that as different. It was a disagreement over the treatment the NHS offered versus what the parents wanted their child to receive. There was hope for this child .. and in that case I don't think the parents should have been arrested. They wanted to do the best for their child .. and if the best meant refusing NHS treatment in favour of a procedure available in Europe I'm firmly on their side.

Re: The Alfie Evans case has proven we have to change the law in favour of parents

And he even spent 10 minutes trying to give the lad mouth to mouth resuscitation when he finally died.
All the way along it's been the fact that the parents could not or would not accept that the boy was inurable and was bound to die.

I believe this is mainly because of two things: firstly, the boy seemed to be fine at first and the loving bond between parents and baby was well formed before he began to deteriorate so rapidly.

And secondly, the parents were so very young with no real wisdom and experience of life.

Re: The Alfie Evans case has proven we have to change the law in favour of parents

Just one point ... though it did end up with parents versus the Courts, who won ... I'd never come down too harshly on any parent that had trouble accepting their child was to die, when their every instinct is to love, cherish and hang on to the last moment of disbelief.
It's a form of grief, of letting go whilst your child is still living, albeit with no life to speak of.

It's too clinical to just say ... 'why should their wishes carry some weight and be respected'.
I think it's kinda sad you even have to ask that.
In the end the right thing was done for Alfie's sake and dare I say, his parents, though they will not believe so at this moment in time.
The wrangling stemmed from the fact that his parents couldn't just flick their own emotions off as clear cut as switching off a life support machine.
I don't think anyone could castigate them for that or label hanging onto hope ... 'a sentimental wish'.