Mother, son missing in forced chemotherapy case

Summary: Daniel Hauser, a 13 year old boy who is refusing his treatment for his cancer, and his mother Colleen Hauser went missing before they were supposed to appear in court over forced chemotherapy treatment. The boy was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma in January, and the first round of chemotherapy went well but his parents were troubled by the physical side effects, and they believed that it was a form of torture. They rejected further treatment and began holistic medical treatment based upon Native American healing practices called Nemenhah. Meanwhile the cancer is worsening, and so are Daniel's chances of survival. A Minnesota judge issued an arrest warrant for Colleen Hauser. The boys father says he doesn't know where they have gone.

Opinion: This story really makes me sad. As all this trouble has developed, the treatments, the lawsuits, the fighting, the media attention, etc. this boy Daniel Hauser has been getting sicker and sicker. As everyone is distracted by the twists to the story, and new developments, etc. his tumor continues to get bigger and bigger. I simply hope that Daniels parents, his mother especially, will realize that she is taking her son farther and farther away from being healthy. By running away with him she is severely decreasing the chances of a healthy recovery. This whole case comes down to ethics. Do you let a patient and their family decide what treatment they want, even if that treatment will do no good? In this case, I think that doctors and other medical experts have the right to overrule the family judgment to treat Daniel. It doesn't appear that the knowledge that Daniel and his family have is enough to ensure a safe decision. My heart aches for this family. I know several families that have been affected by childhood cancer, and I know that the pain that it causes can be emense. I also know how difficult it is for a family to watch a child go through chemotherapy. No matter how difficult it is to watch, chemo is one of the best methods for treating cancer. I hope that Daniel and his mother will come back home soon so that he can get better and have a chance at living life. 

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/05/19/minnesota.forced.chemo/index.html?eref=rss_topstories