There is a letter in the Forum pages today entitled.
Plight of the Nepalese Twins - 'Successful Operation was a mistake'.
This was with regards to the successful operation of the conjoined twins.
The author of the letter wrote that how she, as the Senior Consultant of the National Neurology Institute had advise her neurosurgeon against operating on the Nepalese twins because she knew that even if the surgery was successful, the twins would be mentally handicapped for the rest of their lives. She added that, "A handicapped baby is cute. A handicapped adult is a burden."
She felt that the operating neurosurgeon who consented to doing the operation was not being responsible for to the parents. Even if the operation was a techinical success and even if the surgeon attained 'worldwide fame', the lesser evil would have been to let the twins die (inevitably) and let the parents move one with their lives, and have more children. 'Normal' children.
She hints that now, though the operation was a success, the family is now broken up, the father of the twins has abandoned them and now the mother is left with caring for two handicapped babies, who will grow up and have to depend on carers for the rest of their lives.
Sure, Pro-Lifers would say that what this Doctor has said is really cruel, that we don't have a right to end someone's life. But then its the Schiavo incident all over again. Then do we have a right to artificially continue a 'life'? I think quality of life matters. Not life in itself.
More importantly, the writer has raised a voice of disagreement, she has come to shell what Singaporeans have seen as a successful humanitarian act by shedding light on what we as the public don't see. What has resulted from the 'successful operation'.
She is the voice of a conscience. She is Associate Professor Lee Wei Ling - the daughter of our Minister Mentor. I applaud her for her courage to speak up based on her conscience.
P.S. She hints there that was some improprietary on the part of the consulting neurosurgeon, that he did not fully explain to the parents then that their children would be permanently disabled. Bitch fight (and apology letter) beckons. She is brave I tell you.
Plight of the Nepalese Twins - 'Successful Operation was a mistake'.
This was with regards to the successful operation of the conjoined twins.
The author of the letter wrote that how she, as the Senior Consultant of the National Neurology Institute had advise her neurosurgeon against operating on the Nepalese twins because she knew that even if the surgery was successful, the twins would be mentally handicapped for the rest of their lives. She added that, "A handicapped baby is cute. A handicapped adult is a burden."
She felt that the operating neurosurgeon who consented to doing the operation was not being responsible for to the parents. Even if the operation was a techinical success and even if the surgeon attained 'worldwide fame', the lesser evil would have been to let the twins die (inevitably) and let the parents move one with their lives, and have more children. 'Normal' children.
She hints that now, though the operation was a success, the family is now broken up, the father of the twins has abandoned them and now the mother is left with caring for two handicapped babies, who will grow up and have to depend on carers for the rest of their lives.
Sure, Pro-Lifers would say that what this Doctor has said is really cruel, that we don't have a right to end someone's life. But then its the Schiavo incident all over again. Then do we have a right to artificially continue a 'life'? I think quality of life matters. Not life in itself.
More importantly, the writer has raised a voice of disagreement, she has come to shell what Singaporeans have seen as a successful humanitarian act by shedding light on what we as the public don't see. What has resulted from the 'successful operation'.
She is the voice of a conscience. She is Associate Professor Lee Wei Ling - the daughter of our Minister Mentor. I applaud her for her courage to speak up based on her conscience.
P.S. She hints there that was some improprietary on the part of the consulting neurosurgeon, that he did not fully explain to the parents then that their children would be permanently disabled. Bitch fight (and apology letter) beckons. She is brave I tell you.
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