By Wesley J. Smith I accept properly diagnosed brain death as dead. Hence, when three doctors found that Jahi McMath was tragically gone, I accepted the diagnosis. But I also wrote that if her body did not deteriorate–as happens in almost all brain death cases–that would raise my eyebrows. Now, it’s one year later, …
Continue reading "Making Sure Jahi Stays “Dead”?"By Wesley J. Smith To donate vital organs, a donor must be dead. This is known as the “dead donor rule, I have been warning that utilitarian bioethicists and transplant medical professionals want to shatter the DDR to permit killing living, living profoundly cognitively disabled patients for their organs. Now, we see what appears …
Continue reading "Bioethics Push Poll to Allow Killing for Organs"By Dave Andrusko Imagine, as if anyone could, the range of emotions that the family of Jessie Ayagalria experienced, first in the blink of an eye, then over a period of six months. Last January, she is laughing with her uncle and her sister. “Next thing I know they were hollering for me and …
Continue reading "Baby Faith is born almost six months after mother declared brain-dead"By Wesley J. Smith A news story reports that Jahi McMath, declared dead by the State of California, is being maintained at a Catholic hospital in New Jersey. More, that she may be becoming responsive. From the San Jose Mercury News story: KPIX reported that she is receiving round-the-clock care and has responded to …
Continue reading "What if Jahi McMath is Alive?"By Dave Andrusko The family of Jahi McMath is posting on social media, asking supporters to contact her charter school to ask them to grant the eighth-grader a diploma this week. Jahi, diagnosed as brain-dead, was the center of a tremendous battle between the Oakland-area hospital, which wanted to take her off of life …
Continue reading "Family of Jahi McMath wants middle school to grant teenager a diploma"By Dave Andrusko I have no doubt that someone has already passed this amazing story of recovery along to Nailah Winkfield, the mother of Jahi McMath, the teenager whom medical authorities are convinced is brain dead. Ms. McMath won the right to move Jahi from Oakland Children’s Hospital to an undisclosed location where feeding …
Continue reading "Diagnosed as brain-dead, man now back on basketball court and pursuing college degree"By Dave Andrusko In the letter sent via Facebook to KTVU Channel 2 news anchor Frank Somerville, the mother of Jahi McMath has thanked those who have supported the family, assuring the public that her daughter is not suffering and “that she is much better physically since she has left Children’s Hospital and I …
Continue reading "Mother of teenager diagnosed as brain-dead writes that she is not suffering and is “much better physically”"By Dave Andrusko The headline from one Canadian newspaper caught the bitter sweetness of what took place last Saturday: “Victoria father welcomes healthy Baby Iver, says goodbye to wife.” Iver Cohen Benson was delivered by Cesarean section at 28 weeks. His mom, Robyn, had collapsed in December and had been diagnosed as brain-dead. However, …
Continue reading "“It’s the best and the worst at the same time”: healthy baby born to brain-dead mom in Canada"By Dave Andrusko The contrast is so complete, so startling, it almost takes your breath away. Barely a week ago the family of Marlise Muñoz persuaded Texas Judge R.H. Wallace to order John Peter Smith Hospital to remove all life support from Mrs. Munoz who was pregnant and who’d been declared brain-dead. In subsequent …
Continue reading "Canadian mother declared brain-dead but father chooses life for unborn son"By Dave Andrusko I was on my way Saturday to the quarterly meeting of the National Right to Life Board of Directors when I stopped to check my Droid for the latest news about Marlise Muñoz , the pregnant brain dead woman whose family had sued to have her removed from life support. Late …
Continue reading "Marlise Muñoz , pregnant brain-dead woman, removed from life support, baby dies"By Dave Andrusko As National Right to Life News Today was about to be posted, the Dallas Morning News reported that Texas state District Judge R.H. Wallace “has sided with the family of Marlise Muñoz and ordered JPS [John Peter Smith] Hospital to declare her dead and withdraw life support by 5 p.m. Monday.” …
Continue reading "Judge orders Hospital to declare pregnant woman dead and withdraw life support by Monday"By Dave Andrusko It was a tiny 134-word-long story in today’s Star-Telegram. It said simply that Texas state District Judge R.H. Wallace has scheduled a hearing for this Friday in the standoff between the family of Marlise Muñoz, who is approximately 22 weeks pregnant, and John Peter Smith Hospital. The family says it has …
Continue reading "Judge will hold hearing Friday in suit to take pregnant woman off of life support"