NORFOLK, VA.: 16-year-old cancer patient Starchild Abraham Cherrix won a legal battle yesterday that will allow him to forego chemotherapy for his treatment. The victory sets a legal precedent for parents of other cancer patients who would like to choose a less painful method of treatment for their ward contrary to the state's perception of an 'appropriate' or required treatment.
The boy's parents were accused of neglect last month by social services officials who got a juvenile court judge to order that the boy be taken to a hospital to undergo treatment as considered necessary. Subsequently, the family's attorneys had appealed to the court explaining that the boy had become very weak from the first round of chemotherapy, which lasted three months, and did not want to go through another round.
Abraham suffers from Hodgkin's disease, a cancer of the lymphatic system. This cancer is curable if detected early. The boy and his parents prefer the alternative – the Hoxsey method which uses herbal medicines, nutritional liquid supplements and a largely sugar-free, purely organic diet. The Hoxsey tonic, required in this method, is banned in the US but available in Mexico.
The boy is currently under the care of oncologist Dr Arnold Smith of the North Central Mississippi Regional Cancer Center in Greenwood, Miss. Dr Smith prescribes a treatment plan where the focus is to restore the immune system of the patient. His largely immunotherapy-based plan does include radiation and chemotherapy if necessary. Dr Smith is apparently open to his patient using alternative therapy which explains why the Cherrixes prefer his treatment plan, which in Abraham's case did not include chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy is a process where the patient is given cytotoxic drugs – chemical agents that are meant to destroy cancer cells and tissues in the body. In most patients, these drugs result in unpleasant reactions and are known to severely debilitate the patient.
Abraham's former doctor had prescribed chemotherapy and the boy was subsequently made to go through three months of the painful course. The next one, doctors said, would be more intense. The prospect of going through it again had scared the teen whose parents then consulted Dr Smith.
The former doctor had prompted social services officials to take the Cherrixes to court on charges of neglect. Yesterday however, Country Circuit judge Glen A. Tyler ended what was supposed to be a two-day hearing by announcing a consent decree. Both the parties – social services officials and lawyers representing the boy's parents, reached a consent that was approved by the Judge. While announcing the decree, Judge Tyler also said that the parents were in no way guilty of medical neglect. But the parents must keep the court updated on the boy's progress with a health report every three months until he's cured or turns 18.
The Judge ended the hearing and offered his best wishes for the boy's recovery with a “God Bless you, Mr Cherrix”.
