Pubdate: Tue, 16 Sep 2014
Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2014 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact: http://www.ottawasun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://www.ottawasun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/329
Author: Doug Hempstead
Page: 3

CHEMO FATHER GAINING SUPPORT

Man fights for right to parent son with leukemia

A Vanier father plans to spend three hours a day on Parliament Hill
gathering signatures for a petition to get his parenting rights restored.

The 23-year-old man, who the Sun won't identify because Children's Aid
is involved, had his rights taken away in court Friday because he
stood in the way of CHEO doctors who want to treat his 18-month-old's
leukemia with chemotherapy.

The father would rather the treatment was done in whole or in part
using cannabis oil. His wife relented against the convincing arguments
of CHEO specialists and consented for their son to start receiving
chemotherapy. The child has already had one treatment, and according
to the father, is no longer receiving morphine for pain.

"He slept with his mom last night, so that's something good," he
said.

A CHEO spokeswoman said the hospital decided to proceed with the court
injunction last week because it was a case where parents stood opposed
to what's considered "a standard treatment."

It is hospital policy to defer to the courts in such
cases.

"As a society, we have placed a high value on every child having
access to lifesaving treatment and the best available medical care.
Every child has that right," said CHEO's president Alex Munter.

Toronto Sick Kids oncologist Dr. James Whitlock said the type of
cancer the child has - acute lymphoblastic leukemia-is the most
common type among children.

"It's also one of the most treatable," he said. "Two generations ago
it was almost universally fatal. It's a huge success story."

He said the survival rate is very high - four of five children are
cured, using chemotherapy.

He doesn't support the use of cannabis oil.

"There's no credible medical evidence to support its use," he said. "I
wouldn't be able to recommend it."

He said the chemotherapy the child is receiving is not invasive and
much of it can be taken by mouth.

"Why would a responsible parent not want that for their child," he
said. Not everyone agrees. In fact, the father has received a great
deal of support from across the continent since the story broke Friday
evening.

"I truly believe this oil is the cure to cancer," said Laura Chan, the
first person to sign the father's petition on Parliament Hill.

"There are people in my life who are in remission from it. It's
serious and it's murder. If you do not give these cures to the people
it is murder."
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MAP posted-by: Matt