First Nations girl chooses traditional medicine over chemo
andyt @ Wed May 21, 2014 5:34 pm
$1:
Makayla Sault will remain at home with her family and not be forced back into chemotherapy, say child welfare officials.
Ken and Sonya Sault met with the Brant, Ont., Children's Aid Society this afternoon and were told the investigation into their case will be closed.
"We are satisfied that Makayla is not a child in need of protection and we are closing our case and file on the family," said Andrew Koster, executive director of the Brant Children's Aid Society.
"This is a loving family, we felt their choice to use traditional medicines was within their right. We also felt that if Makayla was apprehended, the stress and other effects on that child would be terrible." said Koster. "For a child that is ill, they don’t need that. She needs to be with her family."
Ken and Sonya Sault met with the Brant, Ont., Children's Aid Society this afternoon and were told the investigation into their case will be closed.
"We are satisfied that Makayla is not a child in need of protection and we are closing our case and file on the family," said Andrew Koster, executive director of the Brant Children's Aid Society.
"This is a loving family, we felt their choice to use traditional medicines was within their right. We also felt that if Makayla was apprehended, the stress and other effects on that child would be terrible." said Koster. "For a child that is ill, they don’t need that. She needs to be with her family."
Gunnair @ Wed May 21, 2014 6:22 pm
Jabberwalker Jabberwalker:
Gunnair Gunnair:
Jabberwalker Jabberwalker:
The history of "whitey taking away native children" is a pretty sordid one and those kids died by the hundreds in various residential schools. These parents are probably twits but so is "whitey" a lot of the time. Whatever it was that we thought we had to offer to the native population, it hasn't worked.
For all of the issues that have come, the fact is, that girl would have been dead prior to being able to make the choice about refusing treatment.
I don't believe that her parents have chosen correctly. I also understand that a minor may require intervention from others to protect her interests. I'm just pointing out that this sort of intervention has often gone awry. We don't know everything.
We know enough to know that chemo has a 75% chance of curing. A smudging ceremony...not so much.
Child has essentially chosen suicide and the band decided to take her six on it.
Don't coming looking for a lot of sympathy afterwards though.
saturn_656 @ Wed May 21, 2014 9:02 pm
andyt andyt:
$1:
Makayla Sault will remain at home with her family and not be forced back into chemotherapy, say child welfare officials.
Ken and Sonya Sault met with the Brant, Ont., Children's Aid Society this afternoon and were told the investigation into their case will be closed.
"We are satisfied that Makayla is not a child in need of protection and we are closing our case and file on the family," said Andrew Koster, executive director of the Brant Children's Aid Society.
"This is a loving family, we felt their choice to use traditional medicines was within their right. We also felt that if Makayla was apprehended, the stress and other effects on that child would be terrible." said Koster. "For a child that is ill, they don’t need that. She needs to be with her family."
Ken and Sonya Sault met with the Brant, Ont., Children's Aid Society this afternoon and were told the investigation into their case will be closed.
"We are satisfied that Makayla is not a child in need of protection and we are closing our case and file on the family," said Andrew Koster, executive director of the Brant Children's Aid Society.
"This is a loving family, we felt their choice to use traditional medicines was within their right. We also felt that if Makayla was apprehended, the stress and other effects on that child would be terrible." said Koster. "For a child that is ill, they don’t need that. She needs to be with her family."
Not in need of protection? Wonder what Children's Aid will say if she dies (which there is a damn good chance of).
They've seized kids in similar circumstances before. The precedent has been set. Guess it's easier for them to simply wash their hands of it. Too much politics and too much potential for bad optics. Too much trouble.
May this decision and its consequences weigh heavily on them all.
martin14 @ Wed May 21, 2014 9:24 pm
saturn_656 saturn_656:
Guess it's easier for them to simply wash their hands of it. Too much politics and too much potential for bad optics. Too much trouble.
Yep, and I support the decision.
If the reserve really wants this kid to die, fine.
Zipperfish @ Thu May 22, 2014 8:32 am
Yes, I support the decision.
CanadianJeff @ Thu May 22, 2014 10:31 am
If someone is crazy enough to say they wish for no real treatment that's OK but it's not OK to think a 10 year old should decide such a thing. However the threat of violence from this group tells me they deserve no future consideration in the matter and leadership should be reviewed.
Strutz @ Thu May 22, 2014 11:19 am
saturn_656 saturn_656:
Not in need of protection? Wonder what Children's Aid will say if she dies (which there is a damn good chance of).
They've seized kids in similar circumstances before. The precedent has been set. Guess it's easier for them to simply wash their hands of it. Too much politics and too much potential for bad optics. Too much trouble.
May this decision and its consequences weigh heavily on them all.
They've seized kids in similar circumstances before. The precedent has been set. Guess it's easier for them to simply wash their hands of it. Too much politics and too much potential for bad optics. Too much trouble.
May this decision and its consequences weigh heavily on them all.
Sad that the decision seems to be more based on what is politically correct than what is medically correct.
QBall @ Thu May 22, 2014 11:32 am
It's Wikipedia so take the following information with how many grains of salt you wish:
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acute_lymp ... c_leukemia
$1:
In persons with ALL (acute lymphoblastic leukemia), lymphoblasts are overproduced in the bone marrow and continuously multiply, causing damage and death by inhibiting the production of normal cells—such as red and white blood cells and platelets—in the bone marrow and by spreading (infiltrating) to other organs.
$1:
The 5-year survival rate has improved from zero six decades ago, to 85% currently, largely due to clinical trials on new chemotherapeutic agents and improvements in stem cell transplantation (SCT) technology.
Five-year survival rates evaluate older, not current, treatments. New drugs, and matching treatment to the genetic characteristics of the blast cells, may improve those rates. The prognosis for ALL differs between individuals depending on a variety of factors.
Five-year survival rates evaluate older, not current, treatments. New drugs, and matching treatment to the genetic characteristics of the blast cells, may improve those rates. The prognosis for ALL differs between individuals depending on a variety of factors.
This kid is toast, and seeing how it's acute and not chronic it's going to be soon.
saturn_656 @ Sat Oct 04, 2014 4:18 am
http://www.cbc.ca/m/news/aboriginal/mak ... -1.2787249
$1:
Makayla Sault's leukemia has come back, according to testimony by McMaster Children's Hospital's Vicky Breakey. Although Breakey didn't name the patient, it's clear she was referring to Makayla. The 11-year-old girl from the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation left chemotherapy treatment at the McMaster hospital in May to pursue traditional indigenous medicine.
Shouldn't surprise anyone, sad nonetheless.
grainfedprairieboy @ Sat Oct 04, 2014 7:35 am
I believe the government should take custody of the girl and the medical profession should adhere to it's Hippocratic oath and do everything possible to save her and alleviate suffering.
What the Hell is wrong with the people here who shrug their shoulders and basically say 'oh well, she's an ndn and is gonna get whats coming thanks to political correctness, indigenous superstitions or ignorant guardians'?
She's a human being for Christ's sake, and a Canadian citizen. She deserves the same protection and medical consideration that would be afforded some white Christian child whose parents have thrown their hands up at medical treatment and exclaimed "Jesus take the wheel."
andyt @ Sat Oct 04, 2014 7:53 am
Well, we need to make up our mind. If we allow parents to make the final decision, we have to apply that to Jehovah's Witnesses and Christian Scientists as well. And in the past we have interfered there. Of course it's a lot different to give somebody a blood transfusion that will immediately help them vs making a kid suffer thru chemo with ony odds that they will get better in the end. I'm not sure what my choice would be if faced with that decision for myself.
saturn_656 @ Sat Oct 04, 2014 8:09 am
grainfedprairieboy grainfedprairieboy:
She's a human being for Christ's sake, and a Canadian citizen. She deserves the same protection and medical consideration that would be afforded some white Christian child whose parents have thrown their hands up at medical treatment and exclaimed "Jesus take the wheel."
Most people would agree with you, but the "unique circumstances" here don't make this easy.
$1:
The Saults are from the New Credit First Nation near Caledonia, Ont. Their chief and council are supporting the family’s decision.
“We’re not going to allow any other agency to come in and apprehend our children. We went through that in the '40s and '50s and we’re not going to allow that again,” said Chief Bryan Laforme.
The Saults said their community has also created a group called the "Makayla defence force," a group of hundreds of community members ready to act if Children's Aid attempts to apprehend her.
“We’re not going to allow any other agency to come in and apprehend our children. We went through that in the '40s and '50s and we’re not going to allow that again,” said Chief Bryan Laforme.
The Saults said their community has also created a group called the "Makayla defence force," a group of hundreds of community members ready to act if Children's Aid attempts to apprehend her.
Children's Aid would have to roll in with a massive police escort that's prepared to use force.
martin14 @ Sat Oct 04, 2014 8:14 am
Might as well send in the army, do it properly at least.
And that is why no one should be sent.
Not to mention having to listen to all the bullshit wailing, blockades etc.
Sorry kid.
QBall @ Thu Nov 13, 2014 10:02 am
Update to this story. Apparently the parents decided that some fraud in Florida was better for their child's leukemia than proven western medicine. Apparently the child has relapsed (no surprise there).
http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal/docto ... -1.2832760
martin14 @ Thu Nov 13, 2014 10:16 am
This won't end well.