Cancer boy Neon WILL have radiotherapy against his mother's wishes after High Court ruling

A seven-year-old cancer sufferer can have radiotherapy against his mother’s wishes, a High Court judge ruled today.

Mr Justice Bodey said he was worried Sally Roberts judgement had ‘gone awry’ after doctors said her son Neon could die within months if he did not get it.

Mrs Roberts, 37, a New Zealander who lives in Brighton, East Sussex, fears that undergoing the treatment would cause long-term damage to her son – such as a lowered IQ and fertility damage.

However, today the judge, who heard evidence at a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London, ruled against her, adding: ‘One cannot enjoy a quality of life if one isn’t alive.’

Specialists treating Neon accepted that there were side-effects to radiotherapy but said that without the treatment the youngster could be dead within three months.

Neon was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour and underwent an operation to remove it on October 25th this year.

Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are routine follow-up treatments which doctors said would give Neon up to an 86 per cent chance of survival.

The ideal time to start this is within 28 days of surgery taking place, but the delay means his chances of surviving are now down to 67 per cent.

The court heard his mother missed three vital hospital appointments.

She then sparked a manhunt after going into hiding with him for four days without telling his dad Ben.

The pair were found safe and well and Neon, who has a twin sister, was put into the care of his father.

The hearing was told she would not let doctors give him anti-sickness drugs after a brain operation this week to remove a tumour.

When given the chance to put forward alternative treatments for her son at the High Court, Mrs Roberts’s suggestions were labelled ‘completely unethical’.

She then asked for more time to look into alternative therapies after researching on the internet but this was refused. 

Doctors called to give evidence told the court: ‘This boy has a very highly malignant disease and he will die very quickly unless somebody gets their hands on him to treat him.’

2012-12-22 06:50:26

Source: http://www.msnoworldorder.co.uk/newsblog/470-cancer-boy-neon-will-have-radiotherapy-against-his-mother-s-wishes-after-high-court-ruling