Hope Lives Here...but for Everyone?

As I was on Facebook today, a friend of mine posted this petition regarding a little girl being denied a transplant at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. At first, I was shocked. How is it that this place, this place that gave my very own family HOPE be at the heart of this issue? So I did my research. It's true. I'm sad to tell you that this is really happening, and it really happens all over the place!

The little girl's name is Amelia. You can read her story here as told by her mother. You see, Amelia is mentally retarded. The doctors feel that she doesn't have the quality of life to be given the right of a transplant and all the potential complications that come with it. Their answer is to deny her this transplant and when her kidneys fail, to let her go.

Hope Lives Here. I saw this sign many times as I walked the halls of CHOP. I spent 35 days walking those halls. I've been back many times, for meds, for doctors appointments, to visit the NICU. Hope Lives Here. But really, how can they even say that when this precious little girl and her family can't have the same hope that my family and I have been given?

As a mother of a CHOP patient, I've always been impressed at how CHOP does things differently. When I want to see something happen, I have a say as a parent. When I saw that meds weren't working for Maura, I pushed for change. I asked them to try the Topamax. I asked them to try Keppra 3 times a day. Even more recently, I asked to start weaning the Topamax. Amazingly, I have never been told NO. I've been told, "Let's give it a try." Every single one of those incidents has improved Maura's quality of life. Amelia deserves the same treatment and compassion that CHOP has bestowed upon my family.

Please take a moment to sign the petition to allow Amelia to receive her much needed transplant. And if you've got it in you, please take a moment to let the folks at CHOP know how you feel. Hope cannot live in the halls of CHOP for one family and not for Amelia.
Please take a minute to sign the petition.