Track Record

A 13-year old boy and his parents in Minnesota are attempting to refuse chemotherapy for the boy's Hodgkin's lymphoma. They claim that chemo will not cure the tumor and that alternative herbal treatment will. They follow a group called the Nemenhah Band from somewhere in Missouri that uses native American natural healing treatments.

As a Christian who believes in divine healing, I admit to some mixed feelings on this issue. As the father has stated, "Chemo is not foolproof." However, it does have a pretty good track record with this type of cancer. The results of the Nemenhah Band? Who knows?

A week after becoming a Christian we had a case in California of a family who refused treatment for their son because God was going to heal him (his pastor counseled against this). He died and they were prosecuted. Later the father wrote a book where he admitted his arrogance and failure.

And this is the problem with these parents. If the boy dies and he had not received the best available medical treatment, their mistake has permanent consequences.

Believing in religious freedom, I understand and am somewhat sympathetic to all the arguments in support of the parents' decision to withhold treatment. However, on the practical side, I cannot remember a single publicized case of someone surviving after recommended medical treatment is refused. If history is any guide, this boy will join all the others and die without treatment. If he is forced to have treatment, the results are hard to predict (some valuable time has been lost).

When Jesus healed the ten lepers, he sent them to the priests to be declared healed. Until the doctors agree that alternative treatment is working, this boy should not be allowed to refuse treatment.