Update: Good News here.
Andrea Clark's life hangs in the balance today, as a result of a potential death sentence handed down by a hospital ethics committee in Houston, TX. Eleven days ago, St. Luke's Hospital gave Andrea's family 10 days to find another facility to treat her, before her current lifesaving treatment would be withdrawn. To-date, no facility has been found to provide care.
"We are pleading with health care professionals to come forward and admit this sick woman into your care," stated Burke Balch, J.D., director of the NRLC Robert Powell Center for Medical Ethics. "Andrea Clark is not brain dead- she is a sick patient with a family desperate to ensure that she continues to receive medical treatment and we at the NRLC Robert Powell Center for Medical Ethics ask that she not be left to die."
After undergoing open heart surgery, Andrea suffered some complications which require her to receive kidney dialysis and a respirator, treatment which is currently sustaining her life. Andrea's case appears to be yet another example of what happens when hospital "ethics" committees, without consent of family members of patients, make life or death decisions.
The NRLC Robert Powell Center for Medical Ethics echoes the pleas of the Terri Schindler Schiavo Center for Health Care Ethics on behalf of Andrea Clark.
Suzanne Vitadamo, of the Terri Schindler Schiavo Center for Health Care Ethics said, "This case is another example of how we have lost compassion not only for the disabled and elderly but for the medically dependent as well. We, at the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation Center for Health Care Ethics, are simply asking for Andrea to continue receiving medical treatment."
Attached is a letter that has been filed by Andrea Clark's attorney, Jerri Lynn Ward, J.D. - click here
The Robert Powell Center for Medical Ethics is an arm of the National Right to Life Committee, which is the nation's largest pro-life group with affiliates in all 50 states and over 3,000 chapters nationwide. National Right to Life works through legislation and education to protect those lives that are threatened by abortion, infanticide and euthanasia.
Source: NRLC Press Release, Related: Cease and Desist Order in Andrea Clark Case - Updated
Action - contact the hospital to respectfully express your concerns:
St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, 6720 Bertner Ave., Houston, TX 77030Also - here is a more general contact list of representatives and officials.
Main hospital telephone number - 832-355-1000 Email
Another update in the case. Andrea has a new doctor and the futile care proceedings have stopped. See LifeNews.com for details. http://www.lifenews.com/bio1490.html
Thanks Steve. We previously published the good news here:
http://www.prolifeblogs.com/articles/archives/2006/05/good_news_about_1.php