This is basically my thoughts on how it should be handled. If they have done the research on the topic and has proficient knowledge, I do think that this would then make them legally competent. Then... They should be given a comprehensive test to make sure that they were able to understand about the underlying problems, and finally maybe a very small psychological evaluation. The writer of the test should have no knowledge what the reason for writing the test and for whom he is writing it for, except for a base level of the concepts. The psychologist should have or intend to be unbiased and should both be agreed apon by the little girl and the parents.
Her choosing not to get a transplant is not a "stupid" decision. My step dad was in the hospital for a long time because of cancer and he went through so much chemo and radiation. Everyday he was in extreme pain and he was beginning to just wither away. Can you imagine going through this for MANY years like that poor child did? Even if she did get the heart transplant, that does not mean that she would live anyway. Her heart can start acting up again and she could continue to stay in the hospital for many more years, suffering. In my opinion, she was perfectly capable to make a decision and she knew how important it was. Most likely she thought about all of the pain she had went through, how long she had stayed in the hospital, how many surgeries she had, and the effect everything had on her family. Not to mention, the doctor telling her that with the surgery, there isn't a 100% chance that she'll get better.
Yes, I think she is perfectly capable of deciding, plus her parents back her up so no one can really go against it.
She has been through so much leukemia at age four. She has been in the hospital almost constantly. I can understand that her parents love her unconditionally but you really need to take into account the quaility of life that she would have if she had the transplant. I mean think of it. Its not like they just plop another heart in and your good to go. You have years of thearapy and thats if you even have a successful transplant. They heart could be rejected by the body and there should would be in the same boat all over again. I say if she has lost her will to fight for her life then let her enjoy the time she has left. Let her enjoy it. Taker her places she has always wanted to see or to meet people she always wanted to meet. Don't force a life on her that will be full of "recovery" that she doesn't want
at 13 it's way too young to decide something so huge, especially when you're not physically and, more importantly, emotionally mature. for you to decide that you don't want to live out your natural life at 13 is a sign of defeatism, which would probably lead to suicide in later years anyway, but for all she knows there could be a cure right around the corner. To put this kind of emotional distress on the parents that supported her through thick and thin for her to decide she wants to quit already is disgusting though.
I don't think 13 is too young to make this decision. A few of you have said that at this age, people are not developed enough to understand the consequences of their decision, basically. I think a 13 year old is quite old enough to understand the consequences of this. I also think that, at 13 and with her experience of the medical system, she is in a far better place to make the decision than any of us here are who probably have had nowhere near as much exposure to hospitals and intensive treatment. She probably has a far more indepth medical knowledge than any of us do too, seeing as she has been in and out of hospital for most of her life. As far as I'm concerned, some of the biggest problems with our society stems from the fact that we always think we know better. What exactly is this based on?
Um, honestly I think it's personal choice But, if you're pretty young, I don't think you should be allowed to make the decision because there's so much going on in the world and you don't know about it (unless you're suffering tremendously
The article says that she talked to a counselor about it, and the counselor agrees. That's good enough for me. If she is mentally competent enough to make the choice, then she should be allowed to. I don't think she's suicidal or anything like that, she's just tired of the hospitals, meds, tests, and such. I probably would be too.
Wow... this would be SOOO hard... I would like to think i would let my child make that decision, but it would be so difficult to just let her die when there are medical procedures that would allow her to live. I think this comes down to the individual child/parents and they should decide what is best.