Good news for Daniel Hauser!

I've been writing a lot about the case of Daniel Hauser, the 13-year-old boy with Hodgkin's lymphoma who underwent one course of chemotherapy and then decided he wanted to pursue "alternative therapy" based on fear of chemotherapy and the faux Native American religion that his mother had taken up with. Ultimately, after a judge ordered Daniel's parents to make sure that Daniel received the chemotherapy and radiation therapy he needed, Daniel and his mother Colleen went on the lam last week and were last thought to be heading for Mexico and almost certain death.

That is, until sanity prevailed, at least for now:

Daniel Hauser and his mother Colleen have been returned to Minnesota -- a week after fleeing from court-ordered cancer treatment for the boy and triggering a nationwide manhunt in the process.

The breakthrough in the case came when Colleen Hauser used an Orange County, Calif., attorney to contact the FBI and the Brown County Sheriff's office. Colleen and Daniel, 13, returned on a chartered flight at 3 a.m. today and where reunited with their family on their farm in rural Sleepy Eye, authorities say. The boy was diagnosed in January with Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Even better, Daniel is in the hospital:

According to the parents' attorney, Daniel was taken by Brown County authorities to a hospital in the Twin Cities area where he could his condition evaluatedt. The attorney, Calvin Johnson, said even though Daniel was in the custody of Brown County child protection workers, Colleen and Anthony Hauser were with the boy at the hospital.

Brown County Attorney James Olson said he expects all charges to be dropped against Daniel's mother. "That's my plan right now," Olson said. "We weren't trying to be punitive."

This is great news. Daniel now has a good chance of beating his lymphoma using effective, science-based therapy.

Dropping the charges against Colleen is probably the right approach, although clearly Daniel can't be left in the full custody of his parents. She has already proven that she is not trustworthy and that she is likely to undermine, either directly or subtlely. I urge you to watch the video associated with the story. Hauser is still trying to duck her responsibility for the decision to run by saying it was Daniel's decision. The problem is that Daniel is a 13-year-old boy, who clearly doesn't have the capacity to make a life-and-death decision like that. Not only is he too young, but he is learning disabled. That should have been up to his parents. I can understand how hard it is to watch chemotherapy make their son suffer. I've said as much before. Being a parent is an incredibly difficult job under normal circumstances; when a child has cancer it requires a fortitude that can break a person's heart to demonstrate. But that's what parents have to do. It's a possibility that anyone who brings a child into the world might have to face.

In any case, I predict that this story is not resolved yet. There will be appeals, and the fight will continue. Hopefully, though, Daniel will at least begin treatment. At the very least, there will be more media hype. I just learned from a local newscast that the video to which I linked was made by a media company in California before Colleen and Daniel returned to Minnesota. Anyone want to bet that Colleen's preparing a movie or some sort of media project based on Daniel's story? I hope not, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least.

Orac's commentary

  1. Another child sacrificing himself on the altar of irrational belief
  2. Daniel Hauser and his rejection of chemotherapy: Is religion the driving force or just a convenient excuse?
  3. Judge John Rodenberg gives chemotherapy refusenik Daniel Hauser a chance to live
  4. Mike Adams brings home the crazy over the Daniel Hauser case
  5. The case of chemotherapy refusenik Daniel Hauser: I was afraid of this
  6. Chemotherapy versus death from cancer
  7. Chemotherapy refusenik Daniel Hauser: On the way to Mexico with his mother?
  8. An astoundingly inaccurate headline about the Daniel Hauser case
  9. Good news for Daniel Hauser!
  10. Daniel Hauser, fundraising, and "health freedom"

More like this

Maybe they need the money as not all of Daniel's medical expenses will be covered? Here in socialist Canuckstan we hear many horror stories about the U.S. health care system. If I was his parent I'd probably jump at a movie, media, book deal just to grab a bit more financial security.

By Daniel J. Andrews (not verified) on 25 May 2009 #permalink

from the article i linked at comment one:

At that point, the Pezzutos offered to pay for a charter jet and accompanied the Hausers home to New Ulm's airport at 3 a.m. Monday, shooting video along the way to show that she had come back to Minnesota voluntarily and hadn't been arrested.

read the article for the details. it doesn't look like a movie is in the works, more like possible legal defenses, had the charges on colleen hauser not been dropped. but i guess we'll need to wait and see to know that 100%. we do know that the family has requested that the media not seek to contact them at this time (per a different strib article http://www.startribune.com/46010252.html?elr=KArksUUUU )

To Daniel J. Andrews:

What is it like to live in a country that views health care as a right, not a privilege? What a novel idea! :)

By CulturalIconography (not verified) on 25 May 2009 #permalink

Yeah, I heard on the news they were back in Minnesota, and I remember some part of the reporting was vague, and got answered just now.

"What is it like to live in a country that views health care as a right, not a privilege? What a novel idea!"

I can assure you, it's great. American Russell Shorto, currently residing in the Netherlands, thinks so too:

"the United States, for a family of four, I paid about $1,400 a month for a policy that didnât include dental care and was so filled with co-pays, deductibles and exceptions that I routinely found myself replaying in my mind the Monty Python skit in which the man complains about his insurance claim and the agent says, 'In your policy it states quite clearly that no claim you make will be paid.' A similar Dutch policy, by contrast, cost 300 euros a month (about $390), with no co-pays, and included dental coverage; about 90 percent of the cost of my daughterâs braces was covered."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/03/magazine/03european-t.html?pagewanted…

Here's another anti-science article about Daniel to grind Orac's gears:

http://www.lewrockwell.com/sardi/sardi110.html

"Daniel Hauser has Hodgkinâs lymphoma. While modern cancer treatment generally offers no cures and harsh treatments, chemotherapy with low-dose radiation is effective for children. While chemotherapy contributes to the 5-year survival of adults only about 2â3% of the time, children are an exception to the rule."

We can debate all day on whether the chemo is the right treatment option for this child but this isn't the REAL issue here. The issue is what are the human rights of children and are they being violated?

Are children competent enough to make their own health care decisions? I have challenged this issue many times when it comes to children being allowed to donate a kidney or part of their liver while they are living. I have said it was wrong to take a TOTALLY HEALTHY LIVING CHILD, cut them open, remove their organ and transplant it into another person so they have a better treatment option than dialysis. (transplantation isn't a cure, it's a treatment like dialysis) I was told I was wrong by these MEDICAL EXPERTS WHO STATE THAT SOME CHILDREN DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE MEDICAL DECISIONS REGARDING THEIR OWN HEALTH AND LIVING ORGAN DONATION. THERE ARE CHILDREN LIVING HERE IN THE USA BETWEEN THE AGES OF 6 TO 17 THAT THE MEDICAL EXPERTS FOUND COMPETENT TO MAKE THE MEDICAL DECISION TO UNDERGO AN OPERATION IN WHICH THEIR KIDNEY OR PART OF THEIR LIVER WAS REMOVED SO IT COULD BE TRANSPLANTED INTO ANOTHER PERSON.

Granted these children made their own health care decision but they were not able to give legal consent. Given the medical establishment has determined children can make decisions regarding their own health care, then why are they making the decisions regarding this child? If we are to follow their rules then we would need to realize there is a difference between being competent to make decisions regarding health care and the ability to give legal consent. While a child might be able to make those decisions, they are not able to legally consent.

In this case the medical experts need to so determine several things before going to the courts. They need to establish who is competent to make health care decisions and who has the legal right to enact those decisions.

1. The first step is to determine whether the child has ability to make decisions. He first needs to be evaluated as to whether he has the mental and emotional ability to make a decision regarding his health care status and treatment options. Is he mentally able to fully understand the severity of his medical condition and the treatment options such as chemo? Does he understand the difference between long term and short term outcomes. In other words, just because the chemo made him ill, does he understand statistical data of long term outcomes determine he has a good chance of becoming better? If it is determined he understands the medical aspects of his illness and treatment options, then the next step is to evaluate his emotional abilities to cope with the outcomes of his decisions? Can he emotionally withstand the burden his decision would bring about? For example, if he wants chemo, but he would be unable to emotionally cope with opposing his parent's religious beliefs, then he wouldn't be emotionally competent.

2. If the child IS mentally and emotionally competent to make health care decisions, then two things need to occur. First, the child needs to be educated on his medical condtition and treatment options, and the outcomes of those treatment options. Second, it needs to be determined whether the child is being coerced regarding alternative treatment options. Once the child is found to be competent, is educated and found to be without coercion, then the child should be allowed to make a decision with the person or guardian making giving the legal consent.

3. If the child IS NOT mentally and emotionally competent to make health care decisions, then the next step is to determine who is the one to make health care decisions in behalf of the child. The parents need to evaluated on their ability to comprehend the medical issues concerning the child and why chemo is being withheld at this time. Did the child state he didn't want chemo and the mother then used her religious beliefs as a way to protect the child and honor his wishes? One thing I find ironic is the media reports the mother sought alternative treatments due to her religious beliefs, yet the child did undergo chemo at one time which would have been against the religious beliefs. If she was so intent on following her religious beliefs, then the child would have never had the first chemo treatments. There needs to be an investigation as to why the mother changed her mind from chemo to alternative methods. People are overwhelmed with medical information when facing a life threatening illness, perhaps she didn't understand the severity of the treatments and how sick her child would be throughout the course of the treatments. When your loved one, especially your child is undergoing a life threatening illness, you research everything. There are medical places that have alternative treatments that have worked BUT the problem is the are successful with other types of cancer. Maybe the mother thought all cancer was the same. Of course there are the places that prey upon people and promise treatments that are bogus.

Honestly, this case scares me. All I have to do is look at the children who have become living organ donors. Living organ donors are LIVING people who undergone a procedure to remove an organ so it can be transplanted in another person. There was not any physical benefit to 52 minors between the ages of 6 to 17, who donated a kidney or part of their liver to another person. Some of the recipients were minors but other recipients were adults of these minors who donated. These minor children knew they could have health problems or even died by donating part of their body and the MEDICAL EXPERTS stated they were COMPETENT to make that decision. Even The American Academy of Pediatrics believes minors can serve as living organ donors in exceptional circumstances when specific criteria are fulfilled. If you don't believe the statistics do the research in the data section of the OPTN or UNOS website. Then there are the mentally challenged individuals that were allowed to make the medical decision to donate to their caregiver.

Scared, you bet ya! It's not ok for a very ill child or his mother to refuse a difficult treatment option, elect a different treatment or even a palliative/hospice care treatment option BUT it's ok to allow a parent to sign a medical consent to allow their HEALTHY MINOR CHILD to be cut open, have an organ removed to help someone else, knowing your child could die. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE. WHEN DID OUR BELIEFS AND NEEDS COME ABOVE THE CHILDREN??????

@kt, it looks as if you're trying to make a serious point, could you re-make it while sounding less like Mrs Lovejoy from the Simpsons?

kt, if this is some "slippery slope" argument here, it fails utterly, given that one of the key aspects of this case was the fact that Daniel was (a)learning disabled and NOT a competent decision-maker, (b)had no understanding of either disease or treatment (and did not appear to be able to gain that understanding sufficiently), and (c) unlike an organ donor, who is expected to LIVE through the surgery, was with near-100% certainty going to DIE from "his" decision.

So, in short, Does Not Apply. This situation is relatively simple, if tragic: about overriding parental decision making in order to protect a child's right to survival.

By Luna_the_cat (not verified) on 26 May 2009 #permalink

Orac, have you and PZ Myers gone into some sort of mind meld? This is the second time you and he have used almost the same title for a post recently (the first being "Guilty, guilty, guilty!") Not that I mind, the posts are interesting, insightful, and the posts themselves have different perspectives, but the titles are starting to get a little creepy...

Kt, this is shameless self-promotion but I just posted about most of what you said yesterday, so please go have a look. This case is a special circumstance. There is no precedent for mass-produced children's organ farms or something just because of this case.

If the child IS NOT mentally and emotionally competent to make health care decisions, then the next step is to determine who is the one to make health care decisions in behalf of the child. The parents need to evaluated on their ability to comprehend the medical issues concerning the child and why chemo is being withheld at this time.

That is exactly what happened. And the court determined that not choosing a cure in favour of an unsubstantiated and dangerous belief was medical neglect. No one is saying the decision is perfect, but the judge was in a rough spot and chose to save Daniel's life based on the specific criteria in this case because Daniel thought giving up chemo would let him live. It would have killed him. The law protects children above their parents wacked out beliefs to ensure their safety. Would you defend their right to withold food? Or shelter? No? Then why medical treatment?

Orac, have you and PZ Myers gone into some sort of mind meld? This is the second time you and he have used almost the same title for a post recently (the first being "Guilty, guilty, guilty!") Not that I mind, the posts are interesting, insightful, and the posts themselves have different perspectives, but the titles are starting to get a little creepy...

Don't know. I don't read PZ as much as I used to. The "guilty, guilty, guilty" thing is probably more a reflection of our coming from more or less the same generation. It was the refrain from a(n) (in)famous Doonesbury cartoon in the early 1970s about Watergate. At least, that's what I was thinking when I came up with that title.

So out of curiosity, is there any indication that he will behave during treatment, or will he throw tantrums (throw medication away, wriggle around during scans, bite, etc) hence making it impossible to get anything useful done?

This is perhaps a bit off-topic, but does the Minnesota Star-Tribune not employ any copy editors? Those two excerpts (which I assume you simply copy-and-pasted from thier website) were frighteningly bad.

ABC News has a report on the video interview that the Hausers (Colleen) did. In it, she says that Daniel was going to run away and that she had no choice but to go with him.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=7674820&page=1

I have raised four kids, and my first reaction to this astonishing remark was, "WTF? Who's the parent here?" I was hardly a martinet as a parent, but if my kid told me he was going to run away to avoid medical treatment, I'd freak out. The LAST thing I would do is go off with him!

Mrs. Hauser fervently is avoiding cold, hard facts. Her kid is very ill. He will likely die without aggressive treatment (chemo + radiation). That treatment is awful, and her kid will not like it one iota. Her kid is a kid, not some all-wise "medicine man" and "elder" by virtue of shelling out bucks to a alt-med woo group. Herbal medicinals and ionized water may seem the kinder, gentler cure, but totally ineffective. Her son is going to fight the aggressive treatment tooth and nail. So, she has to become a f**cking parent and tell him what to do, to, like, save his life.

She's surrounded herself with enablers like the Nemenhah Band, lawyer Susan Daya Hamwi and other woo-sters in the LA area, a bigshot Hollywood lawyer, and perhaps even her husband. Now, she has found a sympathetic ear (and eye) in the guise of a fledgling video production company.

It could be the plot of a satirical indie movie. Instead, it's happening in real life. Only in America, I swear.

With all the attention, especially from the law, they will probably just do it. The question of course will be whether the treatment will still be effective now. I doubt his chances are still 90%.

By Richard Eis (not verified) on 26 May 2009 #permalink

@Dianne. As Orac has already replied, my only thought when I see "guilty, guilty, guilty" is someone channeling (a real science...LOL) Doonesbury. When I was in college and graduate school, my local newspapers (which apparently have gone the way of the black, vinyl LP discs, I used to buy at the same time) put Doonesbury on the op-ed section. I was devoted to reading it. His withering attacks on Reagan made my day.

@kt. Maybe you should tone down the CAPS, not write a whole novel, and try to make a point. I actually don't know what your point is. But based on common law, legal tradition, and case law, children under the age of 18 or deemed incompetent to make decisions. They can't vote. They can't fight in the military. They are covered by Child Labor Laws in most countries. They can't drink alcohol (18 used to be the drinking age in most parts of the US and it's still the rule in many countries).

The state makes the decisions for children who are wards of the state, and I'm all right with that. The state might not be perfect, and I frankly wonder how this story would play out in Texas if the parents were fundamentalist christians, but it is better than Daniel's parents.

Finally, was Colleen arrested for contempt of court, child endangerment, etc?

I read this with great interest as I've been following the story.

Truthfully, the mother did herself a favor appearing on TV. She has that nice fresh-faced look that is appealing. She doesn't look like some kook in a tiered skirt ready to wave smoke and chant over her son.

I'm worried about the son developing a drug resistant disease. He's got hair, which says to me he's been out of treatment quite some time. It will just fuel the fire of these types if his disease resists treatment and he dies anyway.

AnnR@22: I was talking to my son's oncologist about this case. Dr. S's residents and post-docs are debating the ethics of treating teenagers. Dr. S says that Hodgkin's Lymphoma is usually quite responsive to re-started chemotherapy. There are some cases where the drugs need to be changed, but the usual case is that the oncologist can just restart by re-doing the consolidation step and then going right back into normal treatment.

This is a good thing for Daniel. I wish he could just talk to my son (Burkitt's Lymphoma), who would tell him the teenage truth that it hurts for a while, it's ugly to have no hair, it's hard to fall behind in school, but that things turn out okay at the end. My son's been done with chemotherapy for 15 months now, and his hair is fine, his grades are back to their usual standards and he and his friends do the same things as every other teenager at their school.

By Lauren Uroff (not verified) on 26 May 2009 #permalink

You know, with all this publicity, it's strange that nobody's heard from all those thousands of people who had Hodgkin's, refused all chemotherapy, used only natural cures - and survived. I mean wouldn't they want to get in front of the cameras, waving their medical records and proclaiming "I did it without chemo!"
I mean, there *are* lots of them out there, aren't they...?

How much did this idiot's backhanded suicide attempt cost the taxpayers? Could we have spent the money to fill a few potholes or something?

has anyone else bothered to watch the "flying home" video?

we know the boy cannot read, and it's likely he suffered some physical brain damage due to prolonged periods without breathing after his birth, but are you starting to feel like he can't speak either?

there is one moment where he is asked what he'd tell other people about his situation and responds "i'd tell em to back off." that's it. does it seem eerie that his mom constantly "speaks for him" literally? and then talks about how in a situation like this someone has to be strong, and the last few days it's been danny, (meaning the last few days they spent in california) not her?

that's the wrong answer! it's the parent's job to be strong and get their developmentally delayed, scared, sick, 13 year old kid to understand that the yucky gum-swelling, vomit inducing chemo is going to save his life. not to bend to the child desire to run away from pain by literally becoming fugitives!

he's in the custody hearing right now, and apparently went in saying he will resist chemo and foster care physically -unless his mom said that for him, the quote wasn't specific.

i wish he would agree to meet fellow teen cancer patients who are now cancer free following chemo. meet them and talk to them -without his mom's "help" talking.

Marcus Ranum said "How much did this idiot's backhanded suicide attempt cost the taxpayers?"

If you read the linked story you would have learned that the flight was arranged by movie makers:
"In an extraordinary twist to the story, Colleen and Daniel's return was videotaped by a California film company, Asgaard Media, which arranged their charter flight back to Minnesota and made the video of their account available to authorities."

By the way, it would be more accurate to call it a "manslaughter" not a suicide. The young man has no wish to die, but his idiot mother is "protecting" him to death. Much like the ones that call for an exorcism for a child with autism or seizures, only to have an idiot kill the child during an exorcism, or the ones that try to help their child by hiring "attachment disorder" quacks who smother the child in a blanket.

As luna1580 has pointed out, the child does not really know what is going on.

AnnR, having just seen the mother on CNN, I don't think she did herself many favors by being on television other than making it clear she might qualify as learning disabled herself.

holy crap, Rogue Epidemiologist, you weren't kidding!

this is asgaard media's description of one of their feature films (emphasis mine):

THE GREEN STONE
An Incredible True Story Of Paranormal Adventure

In the days before time began, a great evil threatened all the British Isles and civilization itself. As the global climate changed and food became scarce, a peaceful civilized people called The Megalithics, were threatened by a mighty hoard that invaded from across the sea. The warrior queen Gwevaragh, left with no other defense, called upon the magical power of the glowing green jewel mounted in the hilt of Excalibur, known as the Meonia Stone. Using its horrific power, she opened the door to the astral plane and called upon the demonic raven Oah-Tet who, coming forth from its dank dimension, made short work of the invaders, only to turn on Gwevaragh and her subjects. After great death and difficulty, Oah-Tet was beaten back into its own reality.

Gwevaragh decided no one person should possess the awesome power of The Green Stone and divided its energy into NINE LIGHTS, which she then stored at sacred sites across the land. Gwevaragh fades into history to become known as The Lady of the Lake and The White Lady, who arises to bestow Excalibur and The Green Stone upon heroes who prove themselves worthy in dire times.

are we at all surprised the husband and wife behind this company may be woo-friendly?

So if all this Green Stone nonsence happened "in the days before time began" it must have occured before the Big Bang!

I think we should henceforward refer to this film production company as Ass Guard Media.

By Militant Agnostic (not verified) on 26 May 2009 #permalink

In the days before time began, a great evil threatened all the British Isles and civilization itself.

A distinction between the British Isles and civilization?

After great death and difficulty, Oah-Tet was beaten back into its own reality.

Perhaps someone could beat these morons back into their own reality. I am assuming that this was an animated feature film. Maybe I am too optimistic.

OT, but does the Green Stone remind anyone else of Tolkien, with a little Arthurian legend thrown in for good measure?

A true story? Oh, come off it!

wheatdogg-

tolkien-esque indeed. i'd have zero problems with them weaving glorious pagan-arthurian yarns, if they didn't tack the "true story!" onto it.

and as for if it was animated, well, it's not even in the imdb, which is saying something. i suspect it was live action....and they acknowledge that their current productions are "low-to-mid-budget pictures" in their "about us" page.

i'm kind of dying to see it and go all MST3000 on it ;)

If you read the linked story you would have learned that the flight was arranged by movie makers:

I'm a bit out of the loop; media circuses like this don't interest me much. But the last I heard they were talking about having cops/FBI start searching for him in various places - that kind of stuff costs big $$.

I understand that the kid's too stupid to make choices (that's the implication everyone seeems to be making) as are his parents (if they aren't outright crazed) - but, seriously, society would do better to invest its efforts where they are welcome. I feel bad for the kid; he clearly didn't pick his parents right. But, with the upbringing he's going to get, he's going to be a write-off no matter what.

"Marcus Ranum said "How much did this idiot's backhanded suicide attempt cost the taxpayers?""

don't wast time with marcus - he's made it clear on several posts that he considers this family beneath contempt and not worth helping - it seems he feels they aren't as cool as he is.

Origins of the "Meonia Stone: What is Psychic Questing?

Gradually, over the years, an intriguing story emerged to explain the origins of the Meonia Sword and its accompanying stone. Through psychic work and historical research Graham and Andrew developed a mystical lineage, known as 'the Heritage', which began with the fall of the pharaoh Akhenaten and ended with the revival of ancient Egypt in occult circles during the late nineteenth, early twentieth centuries. ver the years many more artefacts would appear under mysterious circumstances, including six more swords, all identical to the first. The seven swords were brought together for the first time by Andrew and his friends in August 1992. It is a story told in part within Andrew's book THE SEVENTH SWORD (1991), and in Graham's work THE GREEN STONE (1984). Andrew has since gone on to work with a number of what he terms 'direct information' psychics, and is now considered to be the pioneer in this field.

True story? My left buttock.

Actually, judging by the latest Strib article, the moviemakers weren't in this for themselves. They found out that the stupid lawyer (Daya) had taken the mother and son to California, and then ditched them as soon as things got hot and she realized that she'd be committing career suicide. Mrs Pezzuto is a breast cancer survivor who apparently attributes her survival to chemotherapy, and wanted to persuade Daniel that this really is the best chance for him, sharing her own story so he'd understand what the stakes really were.

So even if the filmmakers are kinda hippy-dippy, they're not without sense or compassion, and they actually are not in this for the movie deal or even to push alt-med in lieu of proper therapy. Unlike that stupid lawyer who advised them into trouble, these people may actually have their hearts in the right places.

Hausers: Enticed, then abandoned?

While I agree Daniel Hauser is not competant to make his own medical decisions, it's not really fair to say it's because he is learning disable, it appears more likely that he suffers from brain damage or developmental delays. Saying "learning disabled" makes it sound like every dyslexic can't make medical decisions.

Hmm... It is odd to me that on this page you only see one view one side of the story, that their is none of the contrary.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026329.html
" At age 16, Billy Best was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, just like Daniel Hauser. Also like Daniel Hauser, he was ordered to undergo chemotherapy. After five rounds of chemo -- which he describes as nearly killing him -- Billy decided chemo wasn't right for him, and he refused to submit to more chemo.

Fleeing his parents and medical "authorities," Billy discovered his own natural treatments for cancer with the help of concerned citizens, and by changing his diet and taking these natural remedies, he was able to heal cancer and save his own life.

That was fifteen years ago. Today, in sharp contrast to the cancer doctors who claim that teenagers who don't submit to chemotherapy almost always die, Billy Best is alive and well. "
the fact is as this article says radiation is poison. do you remember when mercury was used as a cure-all medicine? "People taking the mercury would get extremely ill. Their hair would fall out. They would lose their appetite and experience extreme loss of body weight. Many would simply die from the toxicity."
Chemotherapy causes these same results. let alone weakening your immune system allowing other diseases and cancer to attack.
The reason there is no evidence a natural cure has worked is because the FDA won't allow it. If the FDA finds that a natural claims any kind of benefit to the body the FDA can seize the company and force it closed. However when it comes to pharma companies who have the money and do pay off the FDA they can produce drugs (cures) that in the end side effects can be death and that is perfectly fine.
another thing:
Where in the constitution or bill of rights does it say patients must submit to treatment and have no right to free speech are to refuse treatment. We are losing our rights in our homeland. this is not the reason i fight for our freedom. I don't fight in order to come home and have my rights stricken from me.
I no that was long but i feel an opposing view was very needed.

By openminded (not verified) on 29 May 2009 #permalink

Hmm... It is odd to me that on this page you only see one view one side of the story, that their is none of the contrary.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026329.html
" At age 16, Billy Best was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, just like Daniel Hauser. Also like Daniel Hauser, he was ordered to undergo chemotherapy. After five rounds of chemo -- which he describes as nearly killing him -- Billy decided chemo wasn't right for him, and he refused to submit to more chemo.

Fleeing his parents and medical "authorities," Billy discovered his own natural treatments for cancer with the help of concerned citizens, and by changing his diet and taking these natural remedies, he was able to heal cancer and save his own life.

That was fifteen years ago. Today, in sharp contrast to the cancer doctors who claim that teenagers who don't submit to chemotherapy almost always die, Billy Best is alive and well. "
the fact is as this article says radiation is poison. do you remember when mercury was used as a cure-all medicine? "People taking the mercury would get extremely ill. Their hair would fall out. They would lose their appetite and experience extreme loss of body weight. Many would simply die from the toxicity."
Chemotherapy causes these same results. let alone weakening your immune system allowing other diseases and cancer to attack.
The reason there is no evidence a natural cure has worked is because the FDA won't allow it. If the FDA finds that a natural claims any kind of benefit to the body the FDA can seize the company and force it closed. However when it comes to pharma companies who have the money and do pay off the FDA they can produce drugs (cures) that in the end side effects can be death and that is perfectly fine.
another thing:
Where in the constitution or bill of rights does it say patients must submit to treatment and have no right to free speech are to refuse treatment. We are losing our rights in our homeland. this is not the reason i fight for our freedom. I don't fight in order to come home and have my rights stricken from me.
I no that was long but i feel an opposing view was very needed.

By openminded (not verified) on 29 May 2009 #permalink

which part of

After five rounds of chemo

did you not understand? He got conventional treatment, was cured, and then refused follow on. Risky strategy, but claiming it was his miracle cure that cured him and not the chemo is utterly dishonest.

if he was cured then why did he have to go back if radiation is the cure then why must it continue. I don't understand the logic of a cure that doesn't cure

By openminded (not verified) on 29 May 2009 #permalink

" At age 16, Billy Best was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, just like Daniel Hauser. Also like Daniel Hauser, he was ordered to undergo chemotherapy. After five rounds of chemo -- which he describes as nearly killing him -- Billy decided chemo wasn't right for him, and he refused to submit to more chemo.

Wow. Thanks for the information. Billy actually got more chemotherapy than I thought he had undergone before running. I now know it was almost certainly the chemotherapy and not the woo that cured him.

If he was cured then why did he have to go back if radiation is the cure then why must it continue. I don't understand the logic of a cure that doesn't cure

It's radiation and chemotherapy that can be the cure. The number of cycles that provide the maximal likelihood of cure balanced with the risk of side effects is determined through clinical trials. We now know that treating Hodgkin's requires multiple phases: (1) Induction chemotherapy (usually several weeks) to induce a remission; (2) consolidation chemotherapy (another several weeks) to maximize the likelihood of the child remaining in remission; and (3) maintenance chemotherapy (usually several months of a milder agent, often an oral drug) to minimize the chances of a late recurrence.

It's quite possible for a course of induction chemotherapy alone, which is what Billy appears to have undergone, to result in a "cure"; i.e., long term survival. Indeed, that's almost certainly what happened. The reason consolidation and maintenance chemotherapy are standard of care in many childhood hematological malignancies is because the relapse rate with induction chemotherapy alone is unacceptably high, and the addition of consolidation and maintenance chemotherapy lowers the relapse rate.

In other words, Billy got lucky. He appears to have been cured with induction chemotherapy alone.

It's a little ambiguous. The usual treatment for advanced HL is 6 cycles of chemotherapy with ABVD. Each cycle consists of two infusions of the drugs given 2 weeks apart. So Best could have had either 5 cycles (almost a complete course) or 2.5 cycles depending on what was meant by "rounds".

"Good news for Daniel Hauser. He was so afraid of the men with guns we sent after him, that he decided on his own to come back and accept our medical help".

It's a little ambiguous. The usual treatment for advanced HL is 6 cycles of chemotherapy with ABVD. Each cycle consists of two infusions of the drugs given 2 weeks apart. So Best could have had either 5 cycles (almost a complete course) or 2.5 cycles depending on what was meant by "rounds".

Other reports that I've seen of Billy Best, including interviews, portray him as having undergone chemotherapy from July to October 1994. Consequently, I think Best probably did get a full five cycles of ABVD.

Other reports that I've seen of Billy Best, including interviews, portray him as having undergone chemotherapy from July to October 1994.

Sounds likely although it is vaguely possible that he had repeated delays due to toxicity or noncompliance and thus got less than the ideal course. In either case, the overwhelming probability is that he was cured by chemo despite the less than ideal course. Much like some people become immune to hep B after the first vaccine but the recommendation is still for 3 injections to ensure 99% response.

His body his choice!!!!! I am speaking from experience here, and from watching a family member lose a spleen, because scientific ev. showed that removal was showing sucess... blah blah blah... we would give anything to go back and tell the medical establishment to go to *^)

We stopped listening to the so call professionals and studies, let him follow his own intuition, and he is a walking miracle because of it. Not to mention the fact that he had the choice to do so. Every right to make that choice... and so does Danny!!!

His body his choice!!!!! I am speaking from experience here, and from watching a family member lose a spleen, because scientific ev. showed that removal was showing sucess... blah blah blah... we would give anything to go back and tell the medical establishment to go to *^)

We stopped listening to the so call professionals and studies, let him follow his own intuition, and he is a walking miracle because of it. Not to mention the fact that he had the choice to do so. Every right to make that choice... and so does Danny!!!

As my first and hopefully only post, I would like to say a few things:
1. There is NO movie deal, exclusive rights deal or otherwise.
2. Asgaard media had an oppertunity to return Daniel home. We thought the flight was going to be donated, however that contact would only help if there was a press conference, so we refused.
3. I have not had chemo as of yet, I am scheduled to start within the next two weeks.
4. We video taped both Daniel and his mother to protect everyone, in case the authorities were not being honest and attempted to recant on the promises made for their safe return.
5. The FBI and local authorities were extreamly professional and helpful and the other footage was not needed.
6. We wish for nothing more than Daniel's recovery and return to the farming life he loves.
7. I have not met a harder working, more honest dedicated family. While they have little in possessions, they have love and support for each other that far exceeds many other markers of wealth.
8. I have surgery scheduled for monday to have a port inserted. I am scared, but realize for the sake of my children this is something I must do.
9. I sincerely believe that Daniels mom did what she believed best for her family, and without the influence of some other self-serving people, would never have been able to leave as she did.
10. I blame other people with their own personal agendas as to the insuing media circus. The Hausers did not want media attention, have not asked for anything and I believe truely would be happiest if everyone left them alone so they could regroup as a family and fight this disease as they know best, together.
I appologize for any spelling or grammer mistakes as I can only type left handed and am exhausted.

As my first and hopefully only post, I would like to say a few things:
1. There is NO movie deal, exclusive rights deal or otherwise.
2. Asgaard media had an oppertunity to return Daniel home. We thought the flight was going to be donated, however that contact would only help if there was a press conference, so we refused.
3. I have not had chemo as of yet, I am scheduled to start within the next two weeks.
4. We video taped both Daniel and his mother to protect everyone, in case the authorities were not being honest and attempted to recant on the promises made for their safe return.
5. The FBI and local authorities were extreamly professional and helpful and the other footage was not needed.
6. We wish for nothing more than Daniel's recovery and return to the farming life he loves.
7. I have not met a harder working, more honest dedicated family. While they have little in possessions, they have love and support for each other that far exceeds many other markers of wealth.
8. I have surgery scheduled for monday to have a port inserted. I am scared, but realize for the sake of my children this is something I must do.
9. I sincerely believe that Daniels mom did what she believed best for her family, and without the influence of some other self-serving people, would never have been able to leave as she did.
10. I blame other people with their own personal agendas as to the insuing media circus. The Hausers did not want media attention, have not asked for anything and I believe truely would be happiest if everyone left them alone so they could regroup as a family and fight this disease as they know best, together.
I appologize for any spelling or grammer mistakes as I can only type left handed and am exhausted.

You people are all so silly...the cure for Cancer is so simple and so cheap...less than $50...and within 2 weeks...you can choose to look into this (which you won't)...or you can choose to be led by the nose through the massive Propaganda Machine that has been in place for close to 4,300 Years...A glimpse is all you sad sacks get...

A very simple combination of Capsaicin (Fresh Habanero's, Garlic, Butter, Bread and a Catabolic/Anabolic balancing oil...you are very welcome!...read up on the hushed up knowledge that has been suppressed on the efficacy of Capsaicin...

May the "Weak" and "Dim"...live the death that they deserve....

You people are all so silly...the cure for Cancer is so simple and so cheap...less than $50...and within 2 weeks...you can choose to look into this (which you won't)...or you can choose to be led by the nose through the massive Propaganda Machine that has been in place for close to 4,300 Years...A glimpse is all you sad sacks get...

A very simple combination of Capsaicin (Fresh Habanero's, Garlic, Butter, Bread and a Catabolic/Anabolic balancing oil...you are very welcome!...read up on the hushed up knowledge that has been suppressed on the efficacy of Capsaicin...

May the "Weak" and "Dim"...live the death that they deserve....

You people are all so silly...the cure for Cancer is so simple and so cheap...less than $50...and within 2 weeks...you can choose to look into this (which you won't)...or you can choose to be led by the nose through the massive Propaganda Machine that has been in place for close to 4,300 Years...A glimpse is all you sad sacks get...

A very simple combination of Capsaicin (Fresh Habanero's, Garlic, Butter, Bread and a Catabolic/Anabolic balancing oil...you are very welcome!...read up on the hushed up knowledge that has been suppressed on the efficacy of Capsaicin...

May the "Weak" and "Dim"...live the death that they deserve....

uno_who:

You people are all so silly.

And this from a guy who did not read the error message, twice!

anyone who thinks we still live in a free country, is a sad person of denial. The day that the government can step in and tell you what you can and can not do with your child has come. Most people are so dumb about chemo. Dr.'s dont give people 90% chances. That would make them wrong too often. Plus the dr.s dont have a clue what the chemo truly is. My wife just Just recieved news this week that her breast cancer battle is over. No more cancer markers.
We tryed a number of things. searched for new cures.
We came back to the states to try chemo that we never wanted to try. After about a monthe the insurance tropped us.. We make too much money for all the free crap the you can get ( even as an eligal alien) but not near enough for these kinda bills. So they dropped us from all use.. I didn't see and courts telling them to pick us up again.
We chose another path. An all natruel doctor and diet. She started about 4 months ago. The cancer went from stage 4 during chemo to 0.
The court told these people that they had to give ther son chemo.. A LOT MORE PEOPLE DIE FROM THE CHEMO THAN FROM THE CANCER F A C T!!!!
we dont have our freedom.

How is Daniel today, I hope he is well.

He was still doing well as of march, when he celebrated his 14th birthday. A birthday he might not have seen if his mother had her way.

And yet you present nothing. Wow, now I am convinced you are not just an idiot who knows nothing at all.

Any actual studies out there that you know of? Papers that show that eating well is actually more effective than conventional cancer treatments? Stories about people getting better are not particularly convincing for many reasons that have been discussed here and elsewhere ad nauseam.

And it is interesting you post this on an old post about Daniel Hauser, who only started improving after being forced to start conventional treatments.

There are thousands of cases of backing up my statements.

And many more thousands refuting them. That's why you have to do careful science to find out what actually works. Got any to support your claims?

I hope you'll forgive me if I don't hold my breath.

I had Hodgkins Disease when I was 13 y/o also and back then (1969) the treatment of choice was deep mantle radiation which I had daily for 7 weeks, an extreme dose that they would not consider today. It worked. However now due to the radiation damage to my lungs I now have inoperable stage four lung cancer and although offered chemotherapy, I refused. They gave me 8 - 12 weeks to live without treatment and six months with chemo. I followed the habanero, garlic,etc cure and have been taking sheep sorrel combination tablets (same ingredients as Essiac tea) and just recently added Graviola to the list. All natural foods and treatments. It has been two years since I got the death sentence and Im alive and well. I believe chemotherapy kills and have seen many people get chemo and die within weeks or months while I continue on. I wonder what happened to the American constitution they talk about so proudly. I can certainly see no freedom of choice, except of course everyone is allowed to carry guns and shoot each other when they feel like it.

You got lucky, which is good for you, but says nothing about the actual efficacy of either chemotherapy or your woo. I will also note that any statement along the lines of

They gave me 8 - 12 weeks to live without treatment and six months with chemo.

Is effectively NEVER true. Invariably it is either a misstatement of what was actually said to be the most likely outcome, or a straight-up lie. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume the former in this case.

Scott. You seem to know very little about lung cancer. Terminal final stage lung cancer, according to cut, slash and poison professionals, NEVER has a favorable outcome whatever treatment is used. And yes Im lucky I wasnt treated with poison for HL. And surely you are not calling these killers outright liars or are you suggesting I am doing the lying. Look it up sometime. Less than 15% of TREATED lung cancer patients are still alive 5 years later, no doubt they are lucky for living despite their treatment. I sought a second and third opinion. They all gave the same 'misstatement'.

Annie,

You were lucky to live this long despite your choice. And I'll repeat that I'm not saying you're lying; I assume you merely misunderstood or misremembered what was said.

Less than 15% of TREATED lung cancer patients are still alive 5 years later

Since you claim that the treatment is worse than useless, you shouldn't then be claiming that your woo is doing anything valuable due to making it 2 years.

Remember, the people in similar situations who made the same choice and died aren't talking about it.

I should add that I'm very glad you WERE lucky, and I'm trying hard to be courteous here due to your situation. But facts are facts.

Im sorry Scott. I was replying to beamup. Startrek made me do it. Lol. Beam me up Scotty.

Ummm I dont make the claim that 15% of chemically treated lung patients die within five years. The entire medical profession claims that. And furthermore I can tout my woo for all its worth. It's working, clearly.

We only have your word for it, Annie. Which is why anecdotes are not synonymous with data.

Annie,

Since you mention Essiac tea, I'll add an anecdote to yours. A little over a year ago, my sister-in-law was diagnosed with adenoidal renal cell carcinoma. One of the "treatments" she tried was Essiac tea.

Her cancer is different from yours and the adenoidal variety is especially agressive, although I did read of one patient who was still alive in some experimental program after several years. Unfortunately, my sister-in-law wasn't so lucky and six months later she was dead.

So, we have two patients with severe cancer. Both tried Essiac tea. One alive, one dead. Neither case is very well documented. We're way short of the number needed to estimate the 4 year survival rate to the nearest 5%. And, we haven't tracked anyone to that 5 year point yet.

My point is that it takes a lot more than one or two cases to know whether your treatment program has better or worse results than the standard treatment you chose to reject.

And, the studies that have been done so far on the natural foods and treatments you mentioned are not especially promising.

Nevertheless, I'm glad you're still alive and wish you a much longer life.

By squirrelelite (not verified) on 09 Feb 2011 #permalink