Pages

Saturday, October 13, 2007

`To give her a better life’

The Times under "Mother wants disabled girl to have hysterectomy ‘to give her a better life’" reports on the English equivalent of the Ashley X case, where a 6 year old girl underwent surgery and hormone treatment to keep her at the size of a six-year-old child because her parents believed it would make her life more comfortable.

In this case, doctors are seeking legal approval to perform a hysterectomy on Katie Thorpe, 15, in a radical solution to her mother’s fears that the girl, who has cerebral palsy, will not be able to cope with the onset of adulthood.

Alison Thorpe wants the operation to go ahead at St John’s hospital in Chelmsford to protect Katie from the “pain, discomfort and indignity” of menstruation.

Legal guidance is being sought because Katie, who cannot walk or talk and is believed to understand little of what is said to her, is unable to give consent.

No comments:

Post a Comment