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Parents Refuse Chemo For Daughter, Court Intervenes

August 6, 2012 10:23 PM
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77642_Reg Chapman

Reporting Reg Chapman

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MINNETONKA, MINN. (WCCO) - A Twin Cities family fought for the right to help decide how doctors treat their daughter’s cancer.

Karen Parisian says her 8-year-old, Sarah, is having a hard time from just one cycle of chemotherapy. She’s suffered from nausea, sore throat, hair and weight loss.

“The week that we were to start chemo she was sleeping 22 hours a day,” said Parisian.

So Sarah’s family wanted to stick to what they know best: alternative medicine.

No more chemo.

“She is very sick from the standard treatment so we wanted to explore and option of modifying the treatment so that it would be more appropriate for Sarah,” she said.

The Parisians feared the side effects, but doctors felt Sarah’s survival was compromised each day she went without treatment.

So child protective services got involved.

“So in order to modify her treatment we had to go in front of a judge and fortunately we seem to be working this out,” she said.

The Minnetonka family was ordered into court and told if they did not work with them on a treatment plan, they would lose custody of Sarah.

“As parents, you don’t have the right to choose the kind of treatment you want your child to have,” she said.

Dr. Kevin Conners is an integrative cancer specialist. He believed there was a way to give both sides what they wanted.

“Do what’s best for the patient,” said Conners. “Let’s take her case as an individual case and not try to fit her into what is standard protocol and look at her as an individual what she can tolerate what other therapies added to a traditional approach is going to be best for her.”

So after an agreement with the court, Sarah is staying at home, and her parents are following a treatment plan.

“It’s going to include some chemotherapy, but it’s going to include a dose that is not going to send her tipping over the edge,” said Connors.

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office says it respects the right of parents to make decisions for their children.

But it says it had strong evidence that the Parisians weren’t doing what was best for Sarah.

As of today, the family is cooperating with the medical testing plan established last week in court.

Sarah begins testing and treatment on Friday.

View Comments
  • http://us.p501.com/minn-court-intervenes-when-family-refuses-daughters-chemo/ Minn. court intervenes when family refuses daughter's chemo – P501 NEWS – USA | P501 NEWS – USA

    [...] CBS News affiliate WCCO reported that child protective services got involved when Karen Parisian refused to let her 8-year-old daughter go undergo chemotherapy, opting for alternative medicine instead. [...]

  • http://xuzirui.com/parents-could-lose-custody-of-sick-daughter-if-they-dont-agree-to-chemotherapy/ Parents could lose custody of sick daughter if they dont agree to chemotherapy | Xuzirui Baby SkyXuzirui Baby Sky

    [...] mum, Karen, told her local TV news channel in Minnesota, US: “The week that we were to start chemo she was sleeping 22 hours a [...]

  • http://forum.grasscity.com/politics/1083795-who-decides-what-best-your-child-2.html#post15467693 Who decides what is best for your child? – Page 2 – Grasscity.com Forums

    [...] [...]

  • http://www.conservativeread.com/2012/08/13/court-forces-chemo-on-eight-year-old-minnesota-girl-despite-familys-desire-to-use-alternative-medicine/ Court forces chemo on eight-year-old Minnesota girl despite family’s desire to use alternative medicine – Conservative Read
  • http://www.ncdsupport.com/in-the-news/current/court-forces-chemo-on-eight-year-old-minnesota-girl-despite-familys-desire-to-use-alternative-medicine/ Court forces chemo on eight-year-old Minnesota girl despite family’s desire to use alternative medicine | NCDsupport.com // The Official Website for Natural Cellular Defense
  • http://theinfowarriors.com/court-forces-chemo-on-eight-year-old-minnesota-girl-despite-familys-desire-to-use-alternative-medicine/ Court forces chemo on eight-year-old Minnesota girl despite family’s desire to use alternative medicine
  • http://nworeport.wordpress.com/2012/08/13/court-forces-chemo-on-eight-year-old-minnesota-girl-despite-familys-desire-to-use-alternative-medicine/ Court forces chemo on eight-year-old Minnesota girl despite family’s desire to use alternative medicine | Nwo Report
  • http://jeenyuscorner.com/2012/08/13/court-forces-chemo-on-eight-year-old-minnesota-girl-despite-familys-desire-to-use-alternative-medicine/ Court forces chemo on eight-year-old Minnesota girl despite family’s desire to use alternative medicine « The Jeenyus Corner

    [...] Parents Refuse Chemo For Daughter, Court Intervenes (minnesota.cbslocal.com) [...]

  • http://beyondthecurtain.wordpress.com/2012/08/13/court-forces-chemo-on-eight-year-old-minnesota-girl-despite-familys-desire-to-use-alternative-medicine/ Court forces chemo on eight-year-old Minnesota girl despite family’s desire to use alternative medicine «
  • http://www.chrisroubis.com.au/is-mandatory-pediatric-chemo-institutionalized-child-abuse/ Is Mandatory Pediatric Chemo Institutionalized Child Abuse?

    [...] girl despite family’s desire to use alternative medicine,” and the CBS Minnesota article from Aug. 8th reporting on the matter, I would probably not be aware of this ongoing parental and human rights [...]

  • http://lastgenerationnews.com/medical-tyranny-is-here-and-we-cant-say-we-werent-warned/ Medical Tyranny is Here, And We Can’t Say We Weren’t Warned | Last Generation News

    [...] Minnesota mother was recently brought to court over refusing chemotherapy for her 8-year-old daughter. A doctor apparently reported her to CPS. She was “…ordered into court and told if [...]

  • http://antioligarch.wordpress.com/2012/11/28/medical-tyranny-is-here-and-we-cant-say-we-werent-warned/ Medical Tyranny is Here, and we can’t say we weren’t warned « Anti Oligarch

    [...] Minnesota mother was recently brought to court over refusing chemotherapy for her 8 year old daughter. A doctor apparently reported her to CPS. She was “…ordered into court and told if [...]

  • http://zionistoutrage.com/2012/11/28/medical-tyranny-is-here-and-we-cant-say-we-werent-warned/ Medical Tyranny is Here, and we can’t say we weren’t warned « Zionist Outrage

    [...] Minnesota mother was recently brought to court over refusing chemotherapy for her 8 year old daughter. A doctor apparently reported her to CPS. She was “…ordered into court and told if [...]

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    [...] Minnesota mother was recently brought to court over refusing chemotherapy for her 8 year olddaughter. A doctor apparently reported her to CPS. She was “…ordered into court and told if they [...]

  • http://randysrightiii.wordpress.com/2012/11/29/benjamin-rush-founding-father-warned-us-of-medical-tyranny-and-we-cant-say-we-werent-warned/ Benjamin Rush Founding Father Warned us of Medical Tyranny, and We Can’t Say We Weren’t Warned | Randy's Right III

    [...] Minnesota mother was recently brought to court over refusing chemotherapy for her 8 year old daughter. A doctor apparently reported her to CPS. She was “…ordered into court and told if [...]

  • http://www.thesleuthjournal.com/medical-tyranny-is-here-we-cant-say-we-werent-warned/ Medical Tyranny is Here; We Can’t Say We Weren’t Warned | TheSleuthJournal

    [...] Minnesota mother was recently brought to court over refusing chemotherapy for her 8-year-old daughter. A doctor apparently reported her to CPS. She was “…ordered into court and told if [...]

  • http://sreaves32.wordpress.com/2012/04/10/america-2012-what-is-at-stake-in-the-u-s-healthcare-debate/ AMERICA 2013 – WHAT IS AT STAKE IN THE U.S. HEALTHCARE DEBATE? « sreaves32

    [...] Minnesota mother was recently brought to court over refusing chemotherapy for her 8 year olddaughter. A doctor apparently reported her to CPS. She was “…ordered into court and told if they [...]

  • http://www.oldthinkernews.com/2012/11/benjamin-rush-medical-freedom/ Medical Tyranny is Here, and we can’t say we weren’t warned | Old-Thinker News

    [...] Minnesota mother was recently brought to court over refusing chemotherapy for her 8 year old daughter. A doctor apparently reported her to CPS. She was “…ordered into court and [...]

  • http://sreaves32.wordpress.com/2012/11/11/president-obamas-election-night-victory-speech-november-6-2012-in-chicago-illinois/ PRESIDENT OBAMA’S ELECTION NIGHT VICTORY SPEECH – NOVEMBER 6, 2012 IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS « sreaves32

    [...] Minnesota mother was recently brought to court over refusing chemotherapy for her 8 year olddaughter. A doctor apparently reported her to CPS. She was “…ordered into court and told if they [...]

  • http://sreaves32.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/president-obama-takes-the-oath-of-office-at-the-u-s-capitol-and-delivers-his-second-inaugural-address-january-21-2013/ PRESIDENT OBAMA TAKES THE OATH OF OFFICE AT THE U.S. CAPITOL AND DELIVERS HIS SECOND INAUGURAL ADDRESS JANUARY 21, 2013 « sreaves32

    [...] Minnesota mother was recently brought to court over refusing chemotherapy for her 8 year olddaughter. A doctor apparently reported her to CPS. She was “…ordered into court and told if they [...]

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