Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Teen dies after court blocked her from seeking treatments; family speaks out (England)
Christian Post ^ | September 24, 2023 | Anugrah Kumar

Posted on 09/26/2023 12:23:58 AM PDT by Morgana

A 19-year-old Christian woman from Birmingham, England, died after a court prevented her from seeking experimental treatment abroad, according to a U.K. group, which says the family, who can now publicly identify her as Sudiksha Thirumalesh, has spoken out against the court’s decision and the hospital’s treatment of their daughter.

Sudiksha had been embroiled in a legal battle with the NHS for over six months, seeking permission to go to Canada for experimental nucleoside treatment for her rare genetic mitochondrial disease, Christian Concern said Friday, adding that the Court of Protection had barred her and her family from raising funds for the treatment, stating that Sudiksha lacked the capacity to make such decisions.

The family, Thirumalesh Chellamal Hemachandran, Revathi Malesh Thirumalesh and her brother Varshan Chellamal Thirumalesh, were under a court order that restricted them from publicly naming Sudiksha for over a year, the group said. The restriction was lifted Friday by a ruling at the Family Division of the High Court.

Justice Peel has deferred the decision to lift the restrictions on naming the hospital, the hospital trust and the clinicians involved until next week, Christian Concern said, noting that Sudiksha’s case had been front-page news, culminating last week with her death.

Sudiksha was fully conscious and able to communicate throughout her illness. She had said she wanted to “die trying to live,” but the court’s restrictions prevented her from doing so. Justice Roberts had ruled that Sudiksha did not have the capacity to make decisions about her treatment, despite evidence from two psychiatrists to the contrary.

In a statement, the family said, “We are deeply disturbed by how we have been treated by the hospital trust and the courts. Had she been allowed to seek nucleoside treatment six months ago, it may well be that she would still be with us and recovering.”

The family added, “We are a Christian family who believe in life, love and forgiveness.”

Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern’s legal arm the Christian Legal Centre, said, “This profoundly disturbing case has demonstrated the urgent need for an overhaul into how critical care decisions are made in the NHS and the Courts.”

Sudiksha’s case was similar to those of Charlie Gard, Alfie Evans and Archie Battersbee, where the NHS had asked the Court of Protection to remove life-saving medical treatment, the group noted, commenting that unlike most cases, Sudiksha was conscious and had her own lawyers argue for her right to live and seek treatment abroad.

Sudiksha suffered from chronic muscle weakness, loss of hearing and kidney damage, requiring regular dialysis. The hospital had asked the Court to approve a “palliative care plan,” which would have led to her death within a few days from kidney failure.

Two psychiatric experts had told the Court that Sudiksha had the mental capacity to make decisions about her own medical treatment. However, the Court ruled that she was “delusional” for wanting to live, based on the hospital’s assessment of her condition.

Sudiksha had grown up in a Christian family who spent all their savings on legal fees to resist the NHS’s efforts to end her life. She had been in intensive care since her health deteriorated after contracting Covid in August 2022.

In February 2023, the hospital asked the Court to set aside a Lasting Powers of Attorney document that Sudiksha had issued, authorizing her parents to make decisions on her behalf. The Court then approved a palliative care plan, leading to her death within a few days.


TOPICS: Current Events; General Discusssion; Moral Issues
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-23 next last

1 posted on 09/26/2023 12:23:58 AM PDT by Morgana
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Morgana

Since the elites want to depopulate the earth, they have to do it ,in every way they can think of...Keeping health are from people is a good way.....


2 posted on 09/26/2023 12:26:41 AM PDT by Hambone 1934 (Dems love playing Nazis.....The republicans love helping them)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hambone 1934

You are wise, Hambone.


3 posted on 09/26/2023 12:43:16 AM PDT by Mason
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Morgana

This is evil.
Pure evil.


4 posted on 09/26/2023 12:47:01 AM PDT by Eagles6 (Welcome to the Matrix . Orwell's "1984" was a warning, not an instruction manual.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Morgana

I assume they mean the NIH wouldn’t pay for it.


5 posted on 09/26/2023 12:51:29 AM PDT by Organic Panic (Democrats. Memories as short as Joe Biden's eyes)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Organic Panic

No, it’s worse than that.
Afaik the family had offers from people willing to fund treatment. Same as the Alfie Evans case. The problem is that in the UK, under NHS, minors under treatment are under the authority of the hospital and their doctors. If THEY decide that the treatment abroad is unnecessary or harmful, they can nix it, and ban removing the patient from the hospital or the country, no matter who pays.


6 posted on 09/26/2023 1:17:19 AM PDT by buwaya (Strategic imperatives )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Hambone 1934

Murdering christians any way they can is the communist’s goal.


7 posted on 09/26/2023 1:22:18 AM PDT by joma89 (Buy weapons and ammo, folks, and have the will to use them.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: buwaya

So, in effect, the minor must submit to the will of a death panel.

Ain’t socialized medicine great?

EC


8 posted on 09/26/2023 1:32:52 AM PDT by Ex-Con777
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Ex-Con777

That’s a UK thing. This would not happen in Spain, which has a similar state system, but a very different institutional culture.


9 posted on 09/26/2023 1:43:34 AM PDT by buwaya (Strategic imperatives )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Ex-Con777

Something similar happened on the US recently, in Boston, I believe. The hospital and the doctors treating a minor obtained effective guardianship when the parents wanted to take the kid elsewhere after they were dissatisfied with the treatment. The circumstances weren’t as egregious as this though.


10 posted on 09/26/2023 1:48:49 AM PDT by buwaya (Strategic imperatives )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Eagles6
I know this case is England, but I do genuinely believe that the Terry Schaivo case was a turning point to the dark side (at least in the publics eye) of the medical establishment/courts/right to live

They let that poor woman die!

11 posted on 09/26/2023 1:54:56 AM PDT by Jaysin (Trump can’t be beat, unless the democrats cheat)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: buwaya

Government... There for our own good.


12 posted on 09/26/2023 2:14:16 AM PDT by Organic Panic (Democrats. Memories as short as Joe Biden's eyes)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Morgana

When I get into arguments with my British and Canadian relatives and friends about health care in America…THIS is the type of article I point them to. If you get government involved…they will kill you.


13 posted on 09/26/2023 2:27:07 AM PDT by USAF1985 (Joe McCarthy is a hero...he was absolutely, 100% correct! (Let’s go Brandon!))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Morgana

But if she wanted a dicey and dangerous sex change operation, they be all over themselves to provide it.


14 posted on 09/26/2023 4:41:31 AM PDT by Fido969 (45 is Superman! )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Morgana

Ah yes, Brittania, I remember it well. Not sure what demonic imposter occupies that realm today.


15 posted on 09/26/2023 5:49:24 AM PDT by Strident ("Hi, my name is Joe and I am powerless over making $#!7 up")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jaysin

That case and abortion.


16 posted on 09/26/2023 6:15:46 AM PDT by Eagles6 (Welcome to the Matrix . Orwell's "1984" was a warning, not an instruction manual.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Morgana

When lawyers who are ignorant of medicine practice medicine, the attending physician is rightly known as “Dr. Death”.


17 posted on 09/26/2023 6:34:50 AM PDT by Montana_Sam (Truth lives.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Eagles6

Agreed.

Terry Schiavo case may be a “new chapter”


18 posted on 09/26/2023 10:26:16 AM PDT by Jaysin (Trump can’t be beat, unless the democrats cheat)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Morgana

Memory eternal.


19 posted on 09/26/2023 10:31:34 AM PDT by MarMema (Eat your bananas, enjoy the decline)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Morgana

“seeking permission to go to Canada”

That was apparently a mistake. Just fly to Canada, the NHS can’t stop you.


20 posted on 09/26/2023 10:46:28 AM PDT by Boogieman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-23 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson