Politics
Wednesday May 3, 2006
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Success in Fight to Save Andrea Clark: St. Luke’s Hospital Backs Down
By Gudrun Schultz
HOUSTON, Texas, May 3, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Andrea Clark’s family is rejoicing today after a new doctor took over the critically ill woman’s care and helped convince St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital to end futility proceedings.
“I’m so happy I don’t know what to think, or say, or do,” Ms. Clark’s sister, Melanie Childers, said in an email to ProLifeBlogs, where updates on the battle to save Andrea were posted almost daily. “Not only is my sister not going to be put to death by St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, but it also looks like she is recovering from her heart surgery, finally.”
Two weeks ago the hospital ethics committee decided to remove Ms. Clark from life-support without her family’s permission, saying further care would be futile, a legal decision under current Texas law. Ms. Clark had suffered severe complications following heart surgery and required a respirator and dialysis machine. The family had 10 days to move Ms. Clark to another facility before the hospital would act.
That decision drew an outcry from her family and from pro-life advocates across the country and beyond, as an informal Internet campaign to raise awareness of the situation swung into action. Mainstream media picked up the story last week.
The family is crediting their success in large part to the participation of concerned pro-lifers.
“[The doctors] underestimated the power of the right to life people…I think we should all be glad that this IS an issue in which such a passionate and large group of people have chosen to wage war,” wrote Ms. Childers. “Once these people get started, they are like a steamroller—they ARE going to run through the opposition.”
Ms. Clark is now in the care of Dr. Matthew Lenz, who has privileges at St. Luke’s. Lawyer for the family Jerri Ward told ProLifeBlogs, “St. Luke’s is doing the right thing in this case now…for the time being, Andrea will continue to receive life-sustaining and appropriate treatment at St. Luke’s.”
See previous LifeSiteNews coverage:
Hospital Served “Cease and Desist” Order After Threatening Life-Support Removal
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/may/06050103.html
Alert Woman Threatened With Death After Houston Hospital Votes to Remove Life Support
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/apr/06042508.html
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