Canadian parents Moe Maraachli and Sana Nader had a simple request for their doctors – perform a tracheotomy on their dying 13 month-old son so he could be brought home to spend his last days surrounded by family. Their doctors at the London Health Sciences Centre in London, Ontario disagreed. They found it much more efficient to remove baby Joseph’s breathing tube immediately at the hospital, and after the family protested, a judge overruled them in favor of the doctors.
In the Canadian medical system’s culture of death, where efficiency so often seems to take priority over individual human worth, Joseph’s parents faced a hopeless situation. Yet, strengthed by their love for their son, they did not give up, and instead sought help from a variety of groups that they knew championed the lives of even the most vulnerable.
Together, Priests for Life, the Christian Defense Coalition, the American Center for Law and Justice, and the Terri Schiavo Life and Hope Network struggled relentelessly to save Joseph.
At long last, they have succeeded, and Joseph has been flown to the SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center in Missouri, which will do its utmost to respect the family’s wishes.
Congratulations to baby Joseph and to his family, who can finally enjoy a degree of peace as they treasure Joseph’s last days.
