At least for now:
After meetings yesteday with our legal counsel, several doctors and a lawyer from the Christian Legal Fellowship, a major breakthrough happened today. The court appointed Substitute Decision Maker (SDM) has given permission for a nurse, who is a member of the Church, to feed Joshua orally.
Today Joshua was fed orally and I was told it went very well.
We thank the SDM for this wise decision but we remain cautious. This is incredible news but we recognize that an opposite decision may be made at any time.
Pastor Joshua's case was also noticed by the media. Check out this
Brampton Guardian article:
“Other than the fact that Joshua is cognitively disabled, he is otherwise healthy and could possibly live many years in this condition,” states Alex Schadenberg, executive director of EPC-Canada. “This is not a case when hydration and nutrition need to be withdrawn because he is actually dying and nearing death, but rather the decision appears to have been made to intentionally cause his death by withdrawing IV hydration and nutrition because he is unlikely to recover from his disability.”
“Society cannot condone intentionally dehydrating a person to death because of their disability or the potential cost of long-term care,” he said.
Hospital officials have refrained from offering up specific details on the matter, stating patient confidentially limits them on what they can disclose publicly.
However, William Osler Health System, which runs Brampton Civic Hospital stressed everyone “involved in the patient’s care is in agreement with his treatment plan.”
Everyone involved is in agreement? What about the guy who almost got starved and dehydrated to death? I doubt he would agree to that kind of treatment. And how come one's right to live his life to the natural death no longer has precedence? Let alone - one's right to receive treatment at a hospital without being starved or dehydrated to death.
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