rockin'robin
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A woman who was given permission to end the life of her disabled daughter is speaking out. In August, a judge ruled that Charlotte Fitzmauric could discontinue the life-sustaining nutrition for her 12-year-old daughter Nancy, who was not expected to live past the age of 4 due to being born blind with meningitis, septicemia, and hydrocephalus. Additionally, the girl could not walk or talk, and required care 24 hours a day.
In a written statement to U.K. Justice Eleanor King the mother said:
“My daughter is no longer my daughter, she is now merely just a shell. The light from her eyes is now gone and is replaced with fear and a longing to be at peace.”
Steven Joffe, associate professor of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman completely opposed the decision.
“In pediatrics, young children have never been competent to make medical decisions. The judge’s statement sets a precedent that quality of life now becomes a measuring rod as to whether or not a child with a disability should live or die.”
A quadriplegic and conservative Christian activist, Joni Eareckson Tada stated to The Christian Post:
“That’s horrific. That’s terrifying. In the future, I wonder how many other subjective issues may sway another judge’s opinion in the life of somebody like Nancy, or perhaps even less disabled physically and mentally than Nancy.”
What do you think? Should the decision of whether someone should live or die be based on their quality of life? Or is someone’s “quality of life” too subjective to determine? There are many who believe that the lives of those with Down Syndrome should be ended. So at what point do we as a society draw the line?
http://universalfreepress.com/mom-wins-case-to-kill-her-disabled-daughter-by-starving-her/
In a written statement to U.K. Justice Eleanor King the mother said:
“My daughter is no longer my daughter, she is now merely just a shell. The light from her eyes is now gone and is replaced with fear and a longing to be at peace.”
Steven Joffe, associate professor of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman completely opposed the decision.
“In pediatrics, young children have never been competent to make medical decisions. The judge’s statement sets a precedent that quality of life now becomes a measuring rod as to whether or not a child with a disability should live or die.”
A quadriplegic and conservative Christian activist, Joni Eareckson Tada stated to The Christian Post:
“That’s horrific. That’s terrifying. In the future, I wonder how many other subjective issues may sway another judge’s opinion in the life of somebody like Nancy, or perhaps even less disabled physically and mentally than Nancy.”
What do you think? Should the decision of whether someone should live or die be based on their quality of life? Or is someone’s “quality of life” too subjective to determine? There are many who believe that the lives of those with Down Syndrome should be ended. So at what point do we as a society draw the line?
http://universalfreepress.com/mom-wins-case-to-kill-her-disabled-daughter-by-starving-her/