NORFOLK, Virginia (July 22) - A judge ruled Friday that a 16-year-old boy fighting to use alternative treatment for his cancer must report to a hospital by Tuesday and accept treatment that doctors deem necessary, the family's attorney said.

The judge also found Starchild Abraham Cherrix's parents were neglectful for allowing him to pursue alternative treatment of a sugar-free, organic diet and herbal supplements supervised by a clinic in Mexico, lawyer John Stepanovich said.

Jay and Rose Cherrix of Chincoteague on Virginia's Eastern Shore must continue to share custody of their son with the Accomack County Department of Social Services, as the judge had previously ordered, Stepanovich said.

The parents were devastated by the new order and planned to appeal, the lawyer said.

Stepanovich said he will ask a higher court on Monday to stay enforcement of the order, which requires the parents to take Abraham to Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters in Norfolk and to give the oncologist their written legal consent to treat their son for Hodgkin's disease.

"I want to caution all parents of Virginia: Look out, because Social Services may be pounding on your door next when they disagree with the decision you've made about the health care of your child," Stepanovich said.

Phone calls to the Cherrix home went unanswered.

The lawyer declined to release the ruling, saying juvenile court Judge Jesse E. Demps has sealed much of the case.

Social Services officials have declined to comment, citing privacy laws. After three months of chemotherapy last year made him nauseated and weak, Abraham rejected doctors' recommendations to go through a second round when he learned early this year that his Hodgkin's disease, a cancer of the lymph nodes, was active again.

A social worker then asked a judge to require the teen to continue conventional treatment. In May, the judge issued a temporary order finding Abraham's parents neglectful and awarding partial custody to the county, with Abraham continuing to live at home with his four siblings.

Ok...I am personally a Hodgekins survivor of 15 years. I went through 6 mos. of chemotherapy and it was no picnic - I was told I would probably be sterile ( Ds is 4.5 thanks to my wonderful oncologist who took measures to prevent the sterility issue) BUT I was told if I didn't do the chemo I would die. Plain as that. And it was rough, I am still, 15 years later, dealing with anxiety issues that started then.

Yes, I got sick. But I took some anti nausea drugs and was fine. I was weak, I moved back home with my mother and went part time for a year. I had to almost die to save my life, but I survived.

If the boy was going through all that in vain, like his chance at survival was non-existant, then I'd tend to do the same thing. Let him die in peace. But if there was even the smallest glimmer of hope you've GOT to do what you have to do if you want to live. Some people where I used to work told me, "I so admire you, you are so brave" yada yada, which don't get me wrong was very nice and they had the best intentions. But what was my alternative?!!! Yeah I did it, you bet you backside I did! Like I said, if there was no hope at all then of course let him go. But if there is a good chance?! Gotta for it!!! JMO!

These things are always difficult for me to decide how to think. I do think that the state should not interfere with parents rights unless absolutely necessary for the safety or well-being of a child. But I guess I think in this specific case I think traditional chemo would have a much higher cure rate than a "sugar free, organic" diet. I personally know several people who went the Mexico "alternative" treatment route, and all of them died a horrible painful death. So I guess I just don't have much faith in that. But that's me. Like I said....a very complicated issue.

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It was my understanding from the news that he only had a very small chance of survival with the treatment so his family just wanted him to be comfortable for his last days - not be miserable from the treatments. If this was an adult - there would be no question about it and he would be allowed to die in peace. If it was a 4, year old - it would be more clear to me to try everything possible for the child. At 16 - it's hard to say if he is old enough to make the adult decision to forgo western medicine or if his parents are just wacko and influencing him. Tough call - glad it's not mine to make.

Lou

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I agree. such a hard desicion. I don't think the state should be able to intervene. But I guess they are doing it for the child's safety. However, a 16 year old can testify in their defense - isn't that true? Seems like they should have been able to distinguish his wants and wishes for treatment.

Not necessarily. I was 27 at the time and had many many days of very unclear thinking because of the drugs. I couldn't watch a movie and make sense of it because of the meds. So I don't think this is necessarily the case all the time.

I can see that diet in addition to medical treatment but not in lieu of medical treatment. I'm not placing judgement though, what a complex situation.

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Oh Lord that is horrendous. I thought I lived in a big brother state but no one would try that.

So long as he was having medical treatment and or had researched what he wanted to do that surely ought to have been enough

He appears to have gone the conventional medicine route and if it didnt work he should have been free to decide otherwise.

There are a lot of alternative licenced practioners that could help him or at least make him more comfortable

I keep thinking what would have happened to Ciaran if he had been taken out of the care of his parents. They used both types of medicine in his time

my heart goes out to that family and that boy

Anne

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If his survival rate was indeed small, then I believe that the court was wrong in doing what it did. However, I don't know all of the particulars of the case, so it is very hard to make that judgement.

However, it certainly doesn't surprise me that the nanny state that we call our Government would step in under the auspices of "ensuring the health and welfare of the child". It seems that there is a pendulum swinging, and it either is swinging in the direction of complete incompetence and ignorance of social services, or cover their butt we're going to show that we take children seriously and be over zealous, as it appears (somewhat) in this case. They can never seem to find a middle ground.

My heart goes out to the boy and his family, for what they are having to endure with his cancer.

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I was going to post about this. (Thank you, Anna; I think this is an important subject.) As you can imagine, it's getting a lot of play around here. (Here's the local news' take on it.)

The young man in question appears to be totally competent to decide for himself on his treatment. I have seen the interviews; read his statements. He appears to be perfectly healthy in television clips from Friday -- skinny, but clear-headed, and carrying himself in a way that suggests that he feels quite himself. When he speaks, he's quite articulate and informed. My impression is that he has made his decision entirely on his own.

The judge is wrong. Pure and simple. As Lou stated so well, if this were a 4-year old, the case would be entirely different. But the state has no business interfering in this young man's life at this stage of it. They would trust him with the operation of a motor vehicle and taking his chances with his life on the road between the Eastern Shore and CHKD, but not to decide his own life-and-death issues from a medical perspective?

I hope their lawyer appeals the s**t out of this case.

He's supposed to report to CHKD no later than Wednesday. What can they possibly do to him if he doesn't go? Drag him into the oncology ward in handcuffs?

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