14-Year-Old Jehovah’s Witness Dies of Leukemia after Judge allows Refusal to Life Saving Care
A 14-year-old boy from Washington State has died of leukemia, after declining to undergo blood transfusion since he was a Jehovah’s Witness.
Named Dennis Lindberg, the 14-year-old died on Wednesday night in Children’s Hospital in Seattle. His death occurred just a few hours post the judge ruled that the boy could not be forced to receive blood transfusions to treat leukemia, reported The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Ironically, allowing a transfusion could have saved the boy’s life.
While on one hand this decision was supported by Dennis’ aunt and legal guardian, Dianna Mincin, who is also a Jehovah’s Witness; the victim’s father Dennis Lindberg Sr. asked Skagit County Superior Court Judge John Meyer to overrule his son.
At the time of the decision, the courtroom was full of classmates, friends and their parents, amongst which a few disagreed with Dennis and his aunt.
According to Meyer the eighth-grader was well aware of the decision he was making.
Meyer made the following statement following his ruling:
-
“I don’t believe Dennis’ decision is the result of any coercion. He is mature and understands the consequences of his decision. I don’t think Dennis is trying to commit suicide. This isn’t something Dennis just came upon, and he believes with the transfusion he would be unclean and unworthy.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe accepting a blood transfusion goes against God’s law.
Diagnosed in early November, Dennis suffered from a form of leukemia called “acute lymphocytic leukemia” that can infact be successfully treated, for which transfusions are a must in order to pull through the chemotherapy.
It indeed is extremely ironical how some people are caught between certain religious faiths that actually go ahead and interfere with individual health choices. And for a fact, if it is someone as young as 14 year-s of age who is making a decision that actually intervenes with his life and existence, then the state and law surely need to take charge and take some responsibility of the child’s welfare.
November 30th, 2007 at 7:33 am
Many Jehovah’s Witnesses men,women and children die every year worldwide due to blood transfusion ban.Rank & file Jehovah’s Witness are indoctrinated to be scared to death of blood.
1) JW’s DO USE many parts aka ‘fractions’ aka components of blood,so if it’s ’sacred’ to God why the hypocritical contradiction flip-flop?
2) They USE blood collections that are donated by Red cross and others but don’t donate back,more hypocrisy.
3) The Watchtower promotes and praises bloodless elective surgeries,this is a great advancement indeed.BUT it’s no good to me if I am bleeding to death from a car crash and lose half my blood volume and need EMERGENCY blood transfusion.
The Watchtower’s rules against blood transfusions will eventually be abolished (very gradually to reduce wrongful death lawsuit liability) even now most of the blood ‘components’ are allowed.
In 20 years there will be artificial blood and the Red Cross will go on with other noble deeds.
Danny Haszard
November 30th, 2007 at 11:02 am
The anonymous writers comment’s at the end of the article are uneducated at best which sadly often results in a damaging bias.
The writer talks of a religion’s interference with a person’s health choices.
JW’s Bible based beliefs contribute to an individual”s health and welfare rather than damage it. They do not take drugs (unlike this boy’s parents), smoke or otherwise engage in habits that would injure their bodies or minds. Bible prinicples make them peacemakers locally, nationally and internationally so they do not injure others.
JW’s Bible based beliefs on blood transfusions have actually contributed to the health and welfare of many persons including non-Witnesses. Do the research. There are many facilities across the US that offer bloodless medical procedures that save lives, since there are a host of blood transfusion related complications that injure and kill patinets every year.
How many persons are injured or die from blood transfusions? You might be surprised by the facts when you do the research. JW’s do not want to die and will avail themselves of every medical facility availble short of a blood transfusion. Hence this boy’s willingness to accept chemotherapy.
The writer makes the comment that a tranfusion was absolutely required to save this boy’s life as a result of the chemotherapy’s damage to his blood cell count. There are in fact several drug and alterantive supplemental therapies that could have prevented the damage and obviated the need for a transfusion had doctors implimented the complimentary regimen. Were they aware of them? Did they offer them to the patient and his aunt? Apparently not.
The writer make sthe comment that the courts should intervene in the case of a 14 year old. The fact is they did and found this courageous young man to have a full awareness of his beliefs and his right to make a choice. The court found him to be a mature minor and fortunately upheld his right as a responsible individual.
I look forward to the writer’s response once they have done the responsible research on this subject.
December 4th, 2007 at 5:46 am
Blood issue at a glance: The Watchtower leadership of the Jehovah’s Witnesses say NO blood, BUT they actually DO ALLOW some blood “fractions”.
Problem is this variance is so esoteric complicated that by the time special elders appear in the ER with the rule book, the JW patient is at the point of no return,bleeding to death.
NOW,they blame the hospital staff for not having a “cell saver” machine instead of the Watchtower leaders who are responsible for making the rules.
I was born a 3rd generation Jehovah’s Witness in 1957 and endured the Watchtower’s no blood commandment with longstanding bleeding Crohn’s disease.The Watchtower leadership expects followers to die for their dogma and many have.The medical staff get blamed and are ‘damned if they do damned if they don’t’.
In 20 years there will be artificial blood for anyone who chooses it,putting an end to this drama.