Abraham update
Abraham update
Abraham Cherrix is okay. For now. And for now, that’s fine with him.
It’s been awhile since we had an update on Abraham, the Virginia teen diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease who drew intense media attention when his oncologist called in social services to force the young man to undergo chemotherapy. Abraham had already received three months of chemo that left him sick and listless.
Afraid that further treatments would kill him, he and his parents decided to forgo further chemo and seek an alternative therapy that included a regimen of vitamins and herbs. But Virginia authorities were having none of that – charging his parents with neglect, and ordering chemo treatment to resume. A court battle followed that eventually allowed Abraham to consult with a doctor who treated him with radiation and vitamin C, in addition to other medications and supplements.
Last month, Abraham’s doctor announced that his patient is “N.E.D.” – no evidence of disease. He’s not cured, but he’s certainly come a long way from his initial tumor (described as being the size of a baseball), and multiple tumors that followed.
And earlier this year the Virginia legislature passed Abraham’s Law, which allows teens with life-threatening illnesses to make treatment decisions with their parents, free of interference from state officials.
So ready for a dose of insufferable arrogance from the medical mainstream?
In an Associated Press report, Art Caplan (director of the University of Pennsylvania Center for Bioethics) states that authorities were right to interfere with Abraham and his parents in their choice of therapy. He adds that Abraham would probably be dead if officials had not intervened.
Sure! And while we’re tossing around baseless speculation, let’s add that Abraham might very well be dead if he had followed his original doctor’s regimen.
After his first few rounds of chemo, Abraham was weak from nausea, had lost all his hair, had dropped more than 30 pounds, had developed blisters in his mouth, and was in too much pain to eat or walk. I wonderif Mr. Caplan’s son were in the same condition, begging his father to find an alternative treatment, would Mr. Caplan force his son to stay the course?
Bottom line: When chemo failed, a combination of conventional and alternative treatments brought Abraham back to good health.
Sources:
“Another Battle Won” The Associated Press, 9/15/07, ap.org
