If everyone is happy & well, what should it make a difference why she was born? I'm sure they love her just the same.
The media needs to mind their own business on stuff like this.

This is a great story, but I really hope that the younger girl wasn't conceived solely to save her sister.

Originally Posted by alatrop

This is a great story, but I really hope that the younger girl wasn't conceived solely to save her sister.

Based on what I have read, she WAS conceived solely to save her sister. The parents were desperate. While I am glad they have such a bond, I don't like the fact that she was conceived for that purpose. I also don't think it was fair that they took marrow from her without her being able to give consent. I think in situations like that, the courts should intervene preventing parents from being able to do that kind of thing without the child's consent.

^^^But a child cannot consent to anything; only the child's guardian/parent can.

Originally Posted by emmalawyer

^^^But a child cannot consent to anything; only the child's guardian/parent can.

My point was that I didn't like the fact that she wasn't old enough to give consent. She was only fourteen months old. It wasn't fair to her. Its like she had no one to speak up for her best interests.

I have a 7 yr old daughter, who is an only child. I can tell you right now, I would do ANYTHING to save her life and that includes having another baby to find a possible marrow donor. I'd do it in a heartbeat. And I would love the new baby every bit as much as my first daughter.

I see nothing wrong with what they did. That family has such intense love and devotion to one another, more families should be like that.

My daughter didn't give her consent to have immunizations when she was a baby. She didn't give her consent to have her heel stuck repeatedly to check her bilirubin levels when she was jaundiced. Babies go through a LOT of medical stuff without giving consent.

The younger daughter has been treated like a treasure by her entire family all of her life. You can't ask for much more than that.

Originally Posted by nathansgirl1908

Based on what I have read, she WAS conceived solely to save her sister. The parents were desperate. While I am glad they have such a bond, I don't like the fact that she was conceived for that purpose. I also don't think it was fair that they took marrow from her without her being able to give consent. I think in situations like that, the courts should intervene preventing parents from being able to do that kind of thing without the child's consent.

I don't necessarily agree with this. I am old enough to remember when this case actually happened. The parents were only given a 1 in 4 chance the baby would actually be a donor match. They said no matter what, they wanted and loved this child.

If you read the end of the article, it is clear these girls have a deep bond and love for one another. The younger sister has even alluded she would donate eggs so her sister could have a baby. It doesn't sound like she has ANY problem with how she came into this world.

Just asking here- Do you think if she knew that her bone marrow wasn't taken, & her sister would die, she'd say no? I've known 2 families in this same situation, the siblings were more than happy to know they could give life to their sibling.
These decisions need to be left with the family. The parents make childrens decisions till they are the age of consent, kids have no perspective of what the ramifiactions can be from their decisions. Yes, here are plenty of people who have no business having kids. But until they figure out how to fix that, there's no choice.
The court have no business in a situation like this.
How about babies that are born whose mother thought this baby will save my marriage? I personally know several, one is a close friend. Should they bear the shame several of you seem to think this child should?
Lets' let it go.

Originally Posted by LoriB

I have a 7 yr old daughter, who is an only child. I can tell you right now, I would do ANYTHING to save her life and that includes having another baby to find a possible marrow donor. I'd do it in a heartbeat. And I would love the new baby every bit as much as my first daughter. I see nothing wrong with what they did. That family has such intense love and devotion to one another, more families should be like that. My daughter didn't give her consent to have immunizations when she was a baby. She didn't give her consent to have her heel stuck repeatedly to check her bilirubin levels when she was jaundiced. Babies go through a LOT of medical stuff without giving consent. The younger daughter has been treated like a treasure by her entire family all of her life. You can't ask for much more than that.

Those examples are for the child's best interest. They don't involve the child undergoing a painful medical procedure for someone else's best interest.

I agree with everyone that its great that the girls have such a close bond, but I don't think parents should have one child for the express purpose of saving another. And I don't think a parent should be able to force a child to give up any part of their body for another child unless the child understand what is going on and WANTS to do it. I would have issues with knowing I was conceived to save an older sibling. In the back of my mind would always be the feeling that they only wanted me for that reason, not just because they wanted another child.

Originally Posted by Roo

I don't necessarily agree with this. I am old enough to remember when this case actually happened. The parents were only given a 1 in 4 chance the baby would actually be a donor match. They said no matter what, they wanted and loved this child.

I totally get what you are saying. But really, under the circumstances would the parents have stated something different? I'm sure they love her, but it doesn't change the fact that they had her only because they wanted to provide a donor.


Sorry, I'm not trying to be combative, but this kind of thing just bothers me. I saw the movie about Anissa and I just remember being so appalled that someone would do that.

Originally Posted by nathansgirl1908

My point was that I didn't like the fact that she wasn't old enough to give consent. She was only fourteen months old. It wasn't fair to her. Its like she had no one to speak up for her best interests.

And my point was that she couldn't legally have consented even if she was 14 years old not 14 months.

Are you saying that because a minor cannot legally give informed consent no person under 18 should ever be allowed to donate bone marrow to his/her sibling?

You understand that you could not arbitrarily draw the line here, there and at bone marrow. If you delegalize bone marrow, for instance, how about blood donations?

I thought this was an interesting case study on the medical ethics of the issue of sibling-to-sibling marrow donations:

http://theoncologist.alphamedpress.o.../full/13/2/148

Originally Posted by nathansgirl1908

I would have issues with knowing I was conceived to save an older sibling. In the back of my mind would always be the feeling that they only wanted me for that reason, not just because they wanted another child.

I think there comes an age when such things don't matter. My friend who was created to try to save his parents marriage laughs about it now. Its out in the open now, no longer a secret, & give him a realistic view of what his parents were about. They weren't perfect. I don't feel there is any difference to having a child to save another childs life or having a child to try to save a marriage.

What about children who were conceived to trap someone financially? Like athletes/actors sometimes have. Should these children bear this perceived shame their whole lives?

Many of us might of been conceived not under what a few think are not an ideal situation. What's it matter? If we weren't suppose to be here, we wouldn't.

^^^Not to mention those of us who were "accidents".

How upset am I supposed to be knowing that my parents didn't even have as lofty a goal as saving my sibling when they set out to conceive me?

Actually by comparison to most folks who just want some fun one night but end up with a baby in the process, the parents in this story look rather altruistic!

Originally Posted by emmalawyer

And my point was that she couldn't legally have consented even if she was 14 years old not 14 months. Are you saying that because a minor cannot legally give informed consent no person under 18 should ever be allowed to donate bone marrow to his/her sibling? You understand that you could not arbitrarily draw the line here, there and at bone marrow. If you delegalize bone marrow, for instance, how about blood donations?

When I say consent, I mean she didn't have the option to even say no I don't want to do this. And I'm not just talking about bone marrow. I mean ANYTHING of this nature, whether it is giving marrow or giving a kidney. I don't think a parent should be able to just do this to their child without the child being able to express their own feelings in the matter. If a child can understand the situation and say they want to do it, then yes they should be able to do it. I never said they shouldn't be able to.