-1730888646.jpg "Kidney donation while alive: “It was an act of love that I did for my sister”")
In the legal battle between him and his father, a Dutch court ruled in favor of 12-year-old David, who refused chemotherapy.
Last November, a 12-year-old Dutch boy, David, was diagnosed with a tumor. After an operation to remove him, and a radiation treatment, the doctors had advised the family to make him undergo additional chemotherapy, in order to ensure his remission.
This was without counting on the refusal of David, who preferred to try his hand at alternative medicine for his follow-up. His father then lodged a complaint against the local children’s services in a court in Alkmaar (Netherlands), but was unsuccessful: the court ruled on Friday in favor of his son.
Supported by his mother
“David did not want follow-up treatment, and he was supported in this choice by his mother,” the plaintiff’s ex-wife, said the judge in charge of the case, explaining that he understood the father’s concerns but argued that “There is no reason not to respect his choice”, which would maintain his quality of life.
Before delivering its verdict, the court requested a psychological assessment of the patient, which confirmed that David knew what was in his best interests, and understood the consequences of this difficult decision.
Free choice from 12 years old
Dutch legislation is much more flexible in terms of treatment, end-of-life choices or euthanasia. In particular, it allows children from 12 years old to choose their treatments in the event of a potentially fatal disease.
She therefore leaves room for David to make his own choices, even if they are risky. When questioned by the Dutch news agency ANP, the father’s lawyer said he and the complainant were considering the possibility of an appeal.
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