By Kathy Ostrowski
Life News
Appreciative parents, legislators and pro-life /pro-family advocates surrounded Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback this morning as he formally signed Simon’s Law.
Simon’s Law passed the Kansas Senate 29-9 on March 16 and the House by 121-3 on March 31. The victory culminated a grassroots campaign among families whose children with chromosomal disorders were denied life-saving care.
Simon’s Law is a very significant pro-life measure in the area of selectively “rationed” care and medical discrimination against children with life-limiting diagnoses. Simon’s Law:
Trisomy 18, Trisomy 13, and related genetic disorders have been routinely labeled “lethal” and “incompatible with life.” As a result, children with these conditions almost automatically receive DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) orders without parental consent.
That was the experience of Sheryl and Scott Crosier, who lost their infant son, Simon, six years ago. Simon had a diagnosis of Trisomy 18. At age three months, he had what proved to be a fatal apnea attack in the hospital. While his parents held him, they waited in numbing shock as no emergency aid came to the rescue.
Later, Sheryl and Scott found that a DNR order was in Simon’s chart, which neither parent knew about nor approved.
Simon’s Law passed the Kansas Senate 29-9 on March 16 and the House by 121-3 on March 31. The victory culminated a grassroots campaign among families whose children with chromosomal disorders were denied life-saving care.
Simon’s Law is a very significant pro-life measure in the area of selectively “rationed” care and medical discrimination against children with life-limiting diagnoses. Simon’s Law:
- validates both the medical advisory role and parental rights;
- ends “secret” DNRs based on “quality of life” judgments;
- buttresses dignity for children with disabilities;
- exposes policies denying life-saving care; and
- combats erosion of the Sanctity of Life ethic in our culture.
Trisomy 18, Trisomy 13, and related genetic disorders have been routinely labeled “lethal” and “incompatible with life.” As a result, children with these conditions almost automatically receive DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) orders without parental consent.
That was the experience of Sheryl and Scott Crosier, who lost their infant son, Simon, six years ago. Simon had a diagnosis of Trisomy 18. At age three months, he had what proved to be a fatal apnea attack in the hospital. While his parents held him, they waited in numbing shock as no emergency aid came to the rescue.
Later, Sheryl and Scott found that a DNR order was in Simon’s chart, which neither parent knew about nor approved.
After Simon’s death, Sheryl and Scott reviewed his chart and discovered Simon had only been given “comfort feeds” which are not sufficient for growth and development. He had also been given medications incompatible with his apnea. These revelations fueled their anger and their resolve to do something.
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