Free Republic

RICHMOND, Va. -- A teen cancer patient fighting for the right to use alternative treatment on his illness told a judge Tuesday what it was like to go through chemotherapy and why he didn't want to relive that. A social worker asked a judge to require the teen to continue conventional treatment.In May the judge issued a temporary order finding Jay and Rose Cherrix neglectful for supporting their son's choice to pursue alternatives. Judge Jesse E. Demps also ordered the parents to share custody of Abraham with the Accomack County Department of Social Services; they face losing custody completely.

Teen cancer patient battles to choose own treatment 16-year-old wants alternative therapy, not ordered chemo RICHMOND, Virginia (AP) -- A teen cancer patient fighting to use alternative medical treatment said he told a juvenile judge in a closed hearing what it's like to go through chemotherapy and he didn't want to relive it. "I told him my story ... so he could understand where I was coming from and live through me," 16-year-old Starchild Abraham Cherrix said. In all, the judge heard 11 hours of testimony before the two-day hearing concluded late Tuesday. At issue is whether the teen can...

A judge ruled Friday that a 16-year-old boy fighting to use alternative treatment for his cancer must report to a hospital by Tuesday and accept treatment that doctors deem necessary, the family's attorney said. The judge also found Starchild Abraham Cherrix's parents were neglectful for allowing him to pursue alternative treatment of a sugar-free, organic diet and herbal supplements supervised by a clinic in Mexico, lawyer John Stepanovich said. Jay and Rose Cherrix of Chincoteague on Virginia's Eastern Shore must continue to share custody of their son with the Accomack County Department of Social Services, as the judge had previously...