The Right To Die For Your Beliefs?

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Peter Parka

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Mother dies after refusing blood
A young Jehovah's Witness has died after giving birth to twins, amid claims that she had refused a blood transfusion because of her faith. Emma Gough, 22, of Telford, Shropshire, gave birth on 25 October. The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital said an internal review into the case would take place.
The twins, a boy and a girl, are healthy and are being cared for by their father, Anthony Gough, 24.
A friend said the family was going through "immense... turmoil and grief".
"We follow the Bible and abstain from blood and I've got no reason to believe that Emma didn't share those views," the friend Terry Lovejoy added.



Because events such as this are so rare, it is normal practice to undertake a full internal review
Tom Taylor, CEO of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

Christine Harris, a friend of Ms Gough's mother-in-law Sham Gough, said: "The family have told me that a blood transfusion wouldn't have saved Emma."
Tom Taylor, chief executive of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said: "We have offered our deepest condolences to the family, and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.
"Because events such as this are so rare, it is normal practice to undertake a full internal review and also to inform the coroner so an inquest can take place."
An inquest has been opened and adjourned for a date to be fixed.
Emma Gough's funeral took place at the Telford crematorium at 1530 GMT.
Jehovah's Witnesses refuse blood transfusions because they believe that God has forbidden it in the Bible. They believe that accepting a blood transfusion is a sin.
Head of Science and Ethics at the British Medical Association, Dr Vivienne Nathanson, said: "If somebody believes that having blood will excommunicate them from their religious beliefs, then they will often say no and accept the risk of death."







Story from BBC NEWS:

It makes me kind of sick, this stuff. I don't believe that she died for her true beliefs but more because of the pressure her religion put on her. :( What do you think?
 
I saw this story too Peter.Apparently the husband is going to sue for negligence because the hospital staff didnt know how to operate machinery that would recycle his wife's lost blood.They had the equipment just didnt have operating instructions.Staff were trying to find operating manuals online.
 
You can be as cynical as you want, but religious views are a part of who we are. Given that, I think a person does have the right to die for what they believe in, no matter how bizarre. It's none of our business.

That said, I think choosing to die when you could chose to live is incredibly cowardly. And that's the case here.
 
All Else Failed said:
Don't doctors have to save someone that is dying regardless of what they believe in?
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Nope. Its the same thing as having a DNR. If the family doesn't wish to undergo a medical procedure, then the doctors have no choice but to abide by their wishes. Someone else could take a legal case against the next of kin but that would ultimately not be timely and probably wouldn't win anyway.
 
It's sad when medical knowledge could have probably prevented that death, but yes, a person does have the legal right to refuse medical attention. We all do. Just because you are being treated by the medical profession, does not mean you have to go along with whatever they want to do to you. Of course, if you do refuse treatment, I hope it's either for religious reasons or because you have an educated opinion, and not just because "I am afraid of needles".
It gets tricky when parents refuse medical treatment for their child though. Oftentimes the staff will arrange for a quickie court order if it's a life-or-death situation, if there is enough time
 
Maybe she thinks she'll be an inspiration to them, a model to live up to, if she wanted them to have the same beliefs.
 
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