Preacher’s appeal rejected

Press, 1 October 1983, Page 11

Preacher’s appeal rejected

NZPA Nashville The Tennessee Supreme Court yesterday rejected an appeal by a fundamentalist preacher who wants to stop court-ordered treatment of his cancer-stricken daughter. in a one-sentence order the five justices said simply that the Court believed the application should be denied. Pamela Hamilton, aged 12, has bone cancer that, since its discovery in early July, has created a tumour the size of a football that now covers her left leg from knee to hip. There was no immediate word from lawyers representing her father, Larry, on a possible appeal to the United States Supreme Court. But they have said that they would seek a hearing before the high court.

Mr Hamilton’s Church of God of the Union Assembly, in Lafollette, forbids members to use any medicine. He argues that the Courtordered chemotherapy treatment violates his Constitutional right to freedom of religion. Pamela has undergone treatment for her Ewing’s Sarcoma at East Tennessee Children's Hospital in Knoxville. She has received eight chemotherapy injections since the state Court of Appeals ordered treatment on September 21.