Chemotherapy Problem in Ohio by Bob Cummins

  An Amish family in Ohio is currently having a legal battle with a hospital on whether or not their daughter, Sarah Hershberger, can stop taking chemotherapy for her leukemia for alternative medicine chosen by her family.  The state gives families much freedom of treatment for the illness of their children, but this is a life-or-death situation.
   Arthur Caplan, a leading medical ethicist in America, said, "If this family and child aren't on board with what's happening, no one wins."
   The hospital said that the leukemia can be treated easily, but if it isn't treated with chemotherapy, she will die within a year.  The Akron Children's Hospital wants limited guardianship of the girl by an attorney who is also a nurse.  She will decide if Sarah should take chemotherapy, that is, by the judge's approval.
   Leonard Glantz said, "People see this as a parent's rights issue, but we fail to see this is a child's rights issue."
   Andy Hershberger, the young girl's father, said, "Our belief is, to a certain extent, we can use modern medicine, but at some times we have to stop it and do something else."
   A judge ruled that Sarah's parents had the right to make her medical decisions.  But an appeals court said that the judge didn't acknowledge if a assigning her a guardian would be in her best interest.

     This article from the Associated Press is big news because it has to deal with a family's rights, a child's rights, and intervention of affairs by another (in this case, Akron Children's Hospital).  The point of view in this article shows both sides of the story, but also shows that, even though Sarah's parents love her, they are putting her in very great danger by not letting the doctors give her chemotherapy.  I, not knowing anything about this story before doing this assignment, find it important, because the parents have rights to treat their child's illness, but the child has rights too, and it's obvious that the parents' way of treating her disease is NOT in her best interest.  The hospital is trying to keep her alive and well, because without their help, she will die of leukemia.  This article, written for the public of the United Stated, raises many questions about citizens' rights.  It's hard for many people to see this case eye to eye, and that's why the problem is raised. 

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/08/31/ohio-hospital-tries-to-force-chemo-on-amish-girl-raising-questions-about-rights/