Treatment of girl ordered

Press, 23 September 1983, Page 6

Treatment of girl ordered

NZPA Knoxville A Tennessee state Appeals Court yesterday ordered immediate medical treatment for a preacher’s daughter, aged 12, who suffers from deadly bone cancer, despite her father’s assertion that the family’s religion forbids use of medicine.

A Tennessee Supreme Court justice later refused to block the order until the case could be appealed against, allowing doctors to begin treatment of Pamela Hamilton as soon as they are ready. Associate Justice Frank Drowota, who flew to Knoxville to hear the request, denied the stay after nearing a deposition from the girl’s doctor that said her condition had worsened. Dr Frank Haraf said that the girl would live only three more months unless she received immediate chemotherapy and radiation treatments. The footballsized Ewing’s sarcoma tumour that has destroyed much of her upper-left legbone had moved into her hip and may break through the skin, he said. Even with immediate treatment, doctors, say, her chance of survival is less than 50-50.

Larry Hamilton, the girl’s father, has fought treatment

for two months because the family’s religion forbids the use of medicine. “There’s no need for medicine. The Bible plainly tells us that,” Mr Hamilton has said. “Only God can heal.”

Diana Huffman, a lawyer for Mr and Mrs Hamilton argued that the child had said in the record that she did not want medical treatment and had said in the record that she was willing to die, “when the Lord is ready for me.” James Bell, the parents’ chief lawyer, argued that forced treatment would be tantamount to rape. But Michael Terry an assistant state AttorneyGeneral, said: “The best authorities in the country are telling us that there is still a chance for this girl to live. Let’s give her an opportunity to grow up and decide what her religious beliefs really are.”

Mr Bell said that he planned to go to Nashville today to ask for permission to appeal to the Tennessee Supreme Court, and Judge Drowota said that the request would likely be considered by the court tomorrow or Tuesday.

Mr Bell said that he also was considering making a special appeal to the United States Supreme Court.