Young Cancer Patient Will Be Allowed to Use Faith-Based Treatment Instead of Life-Saving Chemotherapy

Earlier this week, I posted about Makayla Sault (below), an 11-year-old with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The disease is treatable with two years of tough chemotherapy and has a nearly 90% survival rate… but Makayla no longer wanted to continue the chemo and her Ojibwe/First Nations parents were more than happy to oblige, seeking out useless faith-based treatments instead.

The Children’s Aid Society (CAS) of Brant met with Makayla’s family this week to make a final decision on her treatment. I was hopeful they wouldn’t let her parents effectively put her life in jeopardy… but that’s exactly what they did:

[Director of Brant Native Services of CAS Sally] Rivers further spoke on behalf of CAS Native Services, saying the organization “acknowledges and respects [indigenous] medicine.” Rivers said that the Native Services Branch is aware that the Sault family are treating Makayla through Onongwatri:yo: and that they, as an organization “acknowledge and honour Makayla’s choice.”

…

At this point, CAS closing the file means that Makayla will not be put back in chemotherapy against her will. A legal representative addressed the crowd saying that CAS is the authority under Ontario Law to take this case forward or close it…

Is it really a choice if you’ve been brainwashed…?

I hope Makayla gets better, but I fear the next time I write about her, it won’t be for that reason.