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View Full Version : Child Removed From Transplant List due to Disability


brainandspinalcord
07-11-2008, 12:49 PM
Here's something I came across at a spinal cord resources website:

"The Miami Herald is reporting that a 15 year old Gainesville boy has been removed from a list of people needing a liver because he is disabled. Shands Hospital removed him from the list because the shaky state foster care program cannot guarantee that he will be placed with parents after his operation. They feel that he may not heal properly while under the care of the state and removed him from the wait list. State officials have been in talks with both the hospital and the doctors that made this decision. Even after the state said that it would do everything in its power to give the boy a good environment to heal, the doctors disagreed. Even though the law states that everyone that needs a transplant has an even chance of getting it, doctors can change who has access. There is no law that requires children to be in certain environments for transplants but the doctors have appeared to have invented one. Without a medical team willing to do the operation, the boy is sentenced to death. Even if a positive match came in for a liver, without the medical team to perform the operation he has no one to turn to."
Full article here:
http://www.spinalcordresources.com/?p=21

It's heartbreaking to hear about something like this happening in this day and age. This shows obvious problems not just with the medical system but the foster care system as well. I hope the poor boy ends up getting the help he needs due to publicity from this article.

moose53
07-11-2008, 04:36 PM
Man http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/moose53/MINIS/ANGRY/angry041.gif!!

Sometimes you just want to meet these people so you can ask them what they think they're doing.

The State could actually solve the problem by putting the child in either a permanent placement or a 'specialized' placement (maybe with a nurse/foster mother) BEFORE the surgery.

Shands and the State of Florida just seem to have no souls anymore.

I guess it's time to write to the senators and legislators down in Florida again.

Thanks for letting us know about this.

Barb

houghchrst
07-22-2008, 10:44 PM
What the he** is wrong with people, when does something like this become acceptable to another human being. It is absolutely absurd. Which one of those doctors looked that child in the face and told him gee tough luck kid but we couldn't care less and you are dead.

This is why I avoid the news. This is the kind of thing that makes me want to knock on their door and beat them to the ground and drag them to the feet of the child and apologize and then they can donate their liver.

houghchrst
07-22-2008, 11:31 PM
Sorry, nother story I should have avoided.

jess2002
07-23-2008, 05:10 AM
No I wish I could meet that team of doctors and ask them would they rather give that liver to some alcoholic than that child has it not occurred to them that may be why he hasn't got a home as yet because the people who come know that he may die. Well I am very annoyed at the doctors for not giving him a chance if anyone knows where there is a petition to help this lad please post a link I will then post it in all the other groups I am in and maybe then we can change their minds. Jess

houghchrst
07-23-2008, 04:56 PM
You know I keep coming back to this and thinking oh boy, God is so going to get them. This just blows my mind that this kind of thing is possible. I mean it is like something out of the dark ages to me. I don't know, guess I will just have to find a way to let it go. The world is going to he** and it is painful to watch.

brainandspinalcord
08-07-2008, 12:44 PM
I looked around and wasn't able to find any more information on this case. A petition is a great idea, I wish we could figure out if some progress has been made in the past month.

jess2002
08-07-2008, 03:17 PM
Right I have bookmarked the story I will try my best to find a petition. Jess.

PS back soon hopefully with link.

houghchrst
08-13-2008, 02:44 PM
I emailed a couple of places to try to bring more media attention but have not heard anything.

houghchrst
08-13-2008, 02:52 PM
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20080715/NEWS/146134209

YAY!!!!!

brainandspinalcord
08-15-2008, 01:56 PM
Oh that's the best news I've heard all week!!! Thank you so much for finding this and posting, I know many of us had this boy in our thoughts and it feels good to know this situation wasn't allowed to continue the way it was.

houghchrst
08-17-2008, 04:50 PM
I know what you mean, not a day went by that I didn't think about this child. This story really bothered me and at first I couldn't find anything but I got lucky on that day.

brainandspinalcord
08-18-2008, 12:12 PM
Well thank you so much for your efforts! I bet this boy had a lot of people behind the scenes pulling for him as well, and I'm thankful for that too.

chele
08-20-2008, 10:24 PM
My first thought was "what a bunch of hooey, they removed the kid from the transplant list because he is on Medicaid and Medicaid reimburses pennies on the dollar", but then I see they went ahead and did the surgery. I guess they found a way to overcome all their objections.

jess2002
08-22-2008, 05:57 AM
That is brilliant news thanks for finding it. Jess

Spiney
08-29-2008, 11:30 PM
As a ward of the state, the child was undoubtedly given a state judicial advocate who educated the doctors on the legal facts of life. I would imagine at that point a call went out to all of the DSS offices to help find a theraputic foster family. If one could not be found it would then become a matter of finding a skilled family who would be willing to go through the foster training. If enough pressure comes to bear, these things can be turned around.