Friday, October 19, 2007

Mother dies so that her child may live.

H/T to Adoro te Devote and Angela Messenger for this story.

I just have to say first though that I am shocked that I didn't hear about this from other news sources. This kind of heroic act is ignored by the mainstream media.

Doctor Ellise Hammond dies to save unborn child.

From the article.

A MELBOURNE GP refused high-level chemotherapy, ultimately sacrificing her life to save her unborn daughter.

Family and friends farewelled Dr Ellice Hammond, 37, at a funeral service yesterday, the same day anti-solarium campaigner Clare Oliver succumbed to melanoma.

Dr Hammond lost her battle with Hodgkin's lymphoma on Sunday, three weeks after daughter Mia Ellice was born nine weeks prematurely at the Monash Medical Centre, where she remains in neonatal intensive care, The Herald Sun said today.

Dr Hammond was diagnosed in the 22nd week of pregnancy and refused high-level chemotherapy that could have saved her but might have killed Mia, whose induced birth took place on August 20.

Now I don't watch the news on TV often or read many papers but I do tend to hear top news stories. This should have been on the front page of papers and on every television station. Such heroic love should be presented to the world. I didn't even hear this news from an Australian source. It was from a couple of American blogs that I read about this.

Many prayers for baby Mia and her father.

ETA here is a comment about Dr. Hammond's decision from the above article:

Mark may have overstated it, but what surprises me is that she had more consideration for an unborn child that she did love for her own husband. Had I been in his place I would have made every effort to make her reconsider. They could've replaced their unborn child with another later on after greiving, but he can't replace his wife. Now has to bring up his daughter alone for the rest of his life. Being a matyr can be taken too far at times without considering the wishes and needs of others.

What is it about an unborn child that makes someone say this? A child is not a possesion. It is not a thing that you take back if it isn't perfect. A child is a human person in their own right. A child is no more replaceable than a spouse. Children in the womb have become so devalued in our society.

I remember when Steve and I lost a baby at 9 weeks many people said to us don't worry you will have another one. This comment really hurt me. I didn't want another baby. Our baby was just as real as our other children even though we had never meet it face to face.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The commenter needs my "blithering idiots" label!

Lord, it's sad that small human beings are so devalued. If a mother laid down her life to protect a child that was already born, she would be a hero.

When I get a chance, I'll put this on my blog - she deserves wide-spread recognition for her sacrifice.

I like to think I would choose the same course if it were me, though morally, she would not have done the wrong thing in having the chemo.

H F J said...

I totally agree with what you've said. This should have been a well publicized news item AND who ever wrote about Dr Hammond not loving her husband and "replacing" a child is a moron! That's abortion and ABC's contribution to society.

Therese said...

Lol Louise. I think I will add a blithering idiots label.

Lilder I have been thinking the last couple of days about this in relation to euthenasia. If this women had refused treatment and asked to be put out of her misery, would people have the same reaction. Would they say she is selfish to leave her husband alone. My gut feeling is no. That wouldn't even come into consideration. The culture of death is so ingrain in our society.

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