A devastatingly sad story is developing in the United Kingdom as a 19-year-old woman, along with her parents, continue to fight to get her into medical treatment that has a chance at saving her life.
According to Fox News, the teen, known only as "ST," is battling a rare genetic mitochondrial disease that continues to worsen, and while experimental treatments await, a UK judge recently shut the idea down.
ST has spent the better part of the past year in the ICU as she struggles with debilitating issues that continue to worsen.
She and her family are currently fighting the hospital to allow her to be released to Canada for an experimental treatment that is probably her only hope to survive any longer.
Understandably, the teen's family is beyond aggravated at the current legal situation, especially the fact that the doctor in charge of the case has shut down any talks of having her moved out of the country.
ST and her parents are now being represented by the Christian Legal Centre, which is doing its best to advocate on behalf of the sick teen and her decision to seek experimental treatment, even at the risk of dying as a result.
Fox News noted:
But her doctor believe "ST" is "actively dying" and has no hope of a cure to resume life outside intensive care. They are asking the court to end her dialysis treatments and pursue palliative care instead. The hospital told the court the 19-year-old is incapable of making decisions about her future medical care because she is under the "delusion" that her death is not imminent.
The teen seems fully aware of what's happening, and even stated that she's will to die in order for a chance to live.
"This is my wish. I want to die trying to live. We have to try everything," she said at one point, according to court filings.
Making matters worse, the advocacy group reported, is that her case has been gagged by a judge, so seeking public fundraising to help pay her exorbitant medical bills is not even possible.
"Not only are we anxious about our beloved daughter’s fight for survival, but we have also been cruelly gagged from being able to speak about her situation. We are not allowed to ask people for prayers or for help which she desperately needs. It is a matter of life and death for our daughter to raise money for treatment in Canada, so these arbitrary reporting restrictions are literally killing her," the sick teen's parents said through their attorney.
They also reacted to the judge's most recent ruling that stated ST isn't capable of making her own medical decisions at this point.
"We are shocked to be told by the judge that our daughter does not have capacity to make decisions for herself after all the experts have said that she does. We are very distressed by this injustice, and we hope that, by Jesus’s grace, this will be corrected on appeal," the parents reportedly said.
Only time will tell what happens in this tragic and saddening case. Hopefully it will soon get the worldwide attention it deserves, and hopefully ST is able to pursue one last chance at staying alive.
