Children with cancer make selfless decisions about their own care
22nd Nov 2005, 17:59 GMT
Filed under: Childhood, Drug, Chemotherapy The head nurse at St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN, has made an important discovery. Children cancer patients between the ages of 10 and 20 overwhelmingly understand their own diagnoses, and can participate with making decisions about their future. At least two current patients at St. Jude's currently have agreed to take experimental medicines with unpleasant side effects. The girls, ages 13 and 17, have cancer that will probably take their lives within the next year. However, they are willing to undergo treatments with very unpleasant side effects in order for doctors to learn more to help other patients. Children with cancer are being engaged in deciding about treatments, and end-of-life decisions for themselves. Defying expectations that adolescents are narcisstic, the children appear to be very cheerful despite the realization that they don't have much time left. Hopefully doctors at other hospitals will give other young patients the same autonomy. Read Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
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