12-year-old with cancer taken from her parents (big bro alert)

[genieroze]

12-year-old with cancer taken from her parents
Folks don't want radiation treatment, but state claims it's best option for girl
Posted: June 9, 2005
3:20 p.m. Eastern


© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com


Katie Wernecke

A Texas couple is fighting to regain custody of their 12-year-old cancer-stricken daughter after the state seized the girl, claiming her parents have not done enough to treat her.

A judge has postponed until tomorrow a ruling on whether or not doctors can treat Katie Wernecke against her parents' wishes, KPRC-TV in Houston reported.

Katie's parents, Michele and Edward Wernecke of Agua Dulce, Texas, say their daughter's Hodgkin's disease is in remission and she doesn't need radiation treatment after undergoing a round of chemotherapy. Mr. Wernecke is worried that more treatment will have harmful long-term effects on his daughter and wants an opinion from doctors outside Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi.

But the Texas Child Protective Services believe the recommendations of doctors at the hospital should overrule the parents. Robert Rosetti, program director over investigations at the CPS Nueces County office, claims the parents are being "medically neglectful."


http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=44683

[kedrys]

1. Why does this shite always have to happen in TEXAS????

:grr:

We're not all like that, far from it. I swear.

[hlthe2b]

2. This one is really tough...and very very sad...

The parents are treating her with chemo, but don't want the radiation.... I don't think the story gives much detail on which to judge this. I'm certainly not sure what the parent's position is based on, nor how convincing the evidence for radiation based on this piece of """journalism.""" :eyes: But, my heart goes out to this young girl, that's for darned sure.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

3. I heard the parents on tv the other day. According to them they have

not had the opportunity to get another opinion. They don't want to put her through unnecessary radiation treatments. They have already put her through grueling chemo.

To add to this, it is horrendous that their other children have been taken from them. My heart goes out to those children and their parents too.

[triguy46]

6. the arguable point would be "unnecessary"

And that is tough. Is the parent qualified to make that decision? Is there some reason to think the docs are incompetent? this is a curable disease, but its a tough course.

[FreedomAngel82]

13. Why did they take the other children??

How sad. :(

[ComerPerro]

4. I think you are exactly right

So hard to say what the exact circumstances are here.

But I feel terrible for the girl.

[triguy46]

5. Is this another "culture of life" cause?

So what's it going to be? Will we allow families to make decisions or will the courts decide all medical issues? We aregued for Terri Schiavos husband to be allowed to exercise his familial responsibility, and I think this is similar in broad regards. Let us strive for consistency. We assume that parents exercise the responsibility for their minor child. But this is very scary, but also way, way inconsistent. Why would the courts step in in this case, but turn their backs on other cases in which parents disagree with medical direction, even on so basic an issue a immunization? These are best left to parents/docs, but ultimately, in the absence of abuse, its the parents. The converse would be to determine a "board of appropriate care" and predetermine what treatments are required by law.

[tnlefty]

7. Isn't there a line that the state just has no business crossing?

From the info. provided it seems as if these parents are informed about their daughter's condition and want to seek a second opinion about radiation treatments. I would most certainly want to do that to find out another physician's opinion on whether the chemo is enough; if chemo and radiation would be beneficial; could the radiation cause more harm than good...just for starters.

These seem to be CONCERNED parents who are trying to gather info. to try to determine what they think is the best treatment for their daughter. This doesn't seem to be a case of some nuts just deciding they don't want to do anything for their daughter. If I were these parents I would be furious!!! Think of the emotional damage done to this girl who is ill and who has now been separated from her parents and other siblings. The parents should sue children's services for emotional cruelty to the girl.

Butt Out Big Brother rant off now.

[DawnneOBTS]

8. In a non-freeper state...

Like New Jersey, the child could be considered a "mature minor" and tell the doctors herself that she did not wish to undergo more treatment, and there wouldn't be a damn thing they could do about it. In freeperdom, however, the 12-year-old is of age to become a parent, without her own consent, has no "right to choose," and if she dies in childbirth because she is so young, then it is "God's will." Does this shit make any sense?

[Warpy]

9. I read the original article

and it gave very little information beyond names, presence of cancer, and "round of chemotherapy."

That simply isn't enough for me to make any sort of judgment in this case. There are some cancers that absolutely require radiation. There are others that don't.

However, once a child has exited the womb, s/he becomes endowed with the same right to life, and age appropriate liberty and pursuit of happiness that the rest of us have. Some parents belonging to some religions ARE medically neglectful, and children have died for their parents' belief systems. The state has a stake in making sure such children are identified and afforded the medical treatment they need.

Having the court step in at this juncture and oversee the case may be prudent. Putting the other children in that family into foster care is an egregious overstepping of authority, since it's obvious that the family has been seeking treatment for their daughter in a timely fashion, even if they either don't understand or simply don't agree with the entire course of therapy.

So both sides in this case may be wrong. The parents may simply be phobic about radiation or simply misunderstand why it is necessary. Or they may be correct in that the oncologist in this case is using an unnecessarily risky treatment just to make sure the cancer is gone. The state is certainly wrong in putting their 3 sons into foster care.

And why DOES this stuff always seem to happen in TEXAS???

[Eric J in MN]

10. The state should inform parents,but the ulitmate decision

about whether a child receives a treatment or not should be up to the parents.

[Warpy]

16. Not in a life or death situation, sorry

The born child has its own independent right to live and that should supersede the religious nuttery of its parents.

The state does have a stake in such a conflict.

[Eric J in MN]

19. You're assuming that the state knows better what

treatment will save a child's life.

That isn't always so.

[ConfuZed]

11. I'm glad she has a 'big-brother' looking out for for because her

crazy parents arent I doubt anyone with the exception of a few sick SOB's in this party can stand by and watch this girl be eaten away by cancer and claim that her parents not her has a right to allow that to happen.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

12. We're not talking about refusing all medical treatment

Judging from the news story, they want a second opinion before proceeding with treatment.

Is there something in the water in Texas?

[Norquist Nemesis]

17. Exactly! They seem like responsible parents to me

and have their daughter's best interest up front.

[bicentennial_baby]

14. They have a religious issue too

On Olberman last night, they said that the parents had tried to refuse a blood transfusion for her from a stranger b/c it was agianst their religious beliefs, but that they relented eventually and she got the transfusion.

Also, this article is from WND, and I would look for a less biased source for better info.

[Norquist Nemesis]

18. Good point I'd missed n/t

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

15. WorldNetDaily is a virulent rightwing Christian site.

"The Werneckes, members of the Church of God, have said they oppose blood transfusions unless they are from Katie's mother, but she is not a match, according to doctors"

Good for CPS for not bowing to the goofy parents who would sacrifice their daughter to please Gawd.

[tnlefty]

20. So they do have shades of the nuts that I had referred to above

Those who deny medical treatment for their kids based on religious beliefs, which makes things different.