Jehovah's Witness mother dies after refusing blood

[-AMO-]

Another example of the insanity of religion. Truly shocking and such an unnecessary waste of life.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...icle427045.ece

[BertRoot]

<embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" class="sIFR-flash" src="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sIFR/fonts/futura.swf" quality="best" flashvars="content=Mum%20aged%2022%20dies%20for%20Jehovah&width=392&height=114&fitexactly=&tunewidth=&tuneheight=-5&offsetleft=&offsettop=&thickness=&sharpness=&kerning=&gridfittype=pixel&zoomsupport=false&flashfilters=&opacity=100&blendmode=&size=57&zoom=100&css=.sIFR-root%257Bleading%253A-15%253Bletter-spacing%253A-1.1%253B%257Dem%257Bfont-style%253Anormal%253Bcolor%253A%2523CC0000%253B%257D.blue%257Bcolor%253A%2523CCCCCC%253B%257Dstrong%257Bfont-style%253Anormal%253Bcolor%253A%2523336add%253B%257Dspan%257Bfont-style%253Anormal%253Bcolor%253A%25233a59db%253B%257D&selectable=true&lines=2" wmode="transparent" bgcolor="transparent" name="sIFR_callback_0" id="sIFR_callback_0" allowscriptaccess="always" sifr="true" height="128" width="100%">Mum aged 22 dies for Jehovah

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<!-- BEGIN: m003 Rig Teaser --><!-- Evaluate conditions for RIG teaser --><!-- Check if RIG teaser is true --> <!-- Start: m003 Rig Teaser --><!-- END: m003 Rig Teaser --><!-- BEGIN: Module - Main Article --><!--Display article with page breaks --> <roottag></roottag> PALS of pretty Emma Gough told last night how the devout Jehovah’s Witness cuddled her newborn twins – then died just hours later after refusing a blood transfusion.
Shopgirl Emma, 22 – whose life could have been saved after complications set in – ticked a form before the birth insisting she should not be given blood.
Medics begged husband Anthony, 24, and other members of Emma’s family to overrule her after she suffered severe blood loss and began slipping away.
Blood ban ... a legal notice, quoting the Bible, spelling out Jehovah’s Witnesses’ opposition to life-saving transfusions


But because Jehovah’s Witnesses are barred from having transfusions they refused – insisting the young mum would not want to betray her principles.
Stunned friends last night described her grieving husband – a fellow Witness who has been left to bring up the motherless twin boy and girl – as distraught.
Faith ... hall in Telford where Emma and Anthony worshipped


Peter Welsh, 24, was best man at the couple’s beach wedding in Barbados two years ago. He said: “Everyone is devastated by what has happened.
“We can’t believe she died after childbirth in this day and age, with all the technology there is.
“What makes it even more sad is Emma had time to hold and start to bond with her twins before the complications set in.”
Yesterday shattered Anthony, a central heating engineer, was caring for the tots at his home in Telford, Shrops – as the local coroner’s office launched a probe.
He wed Emma, who worked at high street store Next, in December 2005.
Friends said the pair had been teenage sweethearts – and described Emma as a “bubbly modern girl, always full of life.”
She had been “ecstatic” to learn she was expecting twins. Emma’s mum Glenda and dad Jim – also Jehovah’s Witnesses – were at her bedside after she gave birth at the Royal Hospital in Shrewsbury.

She died in the early hours of October 25, a week last Thursday.
Yesterday grief-stricken Jim, 43, refused to comment.
Both sides of the family – including Anthony’s parents Sham and Ian Gough – closed ranks and remained tightlipped.
A woman relative mixing baby feeds for the twins at Emma’s home insisted: “We have nothing to say.”
Best man Peter – also a Jehovah’s Witness – said: “Luckily Anthony is part of a big family. They will all pitch in to help him bring up the twins.” But he added: “Anthony is in pieces.”
Part of the Jehovah faith says the Bible prohibits the “consumption, storage and transfusion of blood” and quotes the book of Acts.
Some Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that to have a transfusion is the same as consuming or eating blood.
A spokesman for the local Kingdom Hall, where Emma and Anthony worshipped, said: “This is a terrible time for the whole family.

They are all grieving terribly. The entire Witness community is distraught and including them in their prayers.”
Friend Peter, of Sutton Hill, Telford, told how Emma’s dream had always been to marry on a Caribbean beach.
Loving Anthony organised the ceremony as a surprise.
Grief ... hubby Anthony


Emma said at the time: “Anthony went ahead and booked it without telling me. You can imagine my surprise.” The excited couple exchanged vows in the tropical sun as a steel band played under palm trees.
Peter said: “Thirty guests, including both sets of parents, arrived a few days before the ceremony.
“A local minister was booked to officiate. Emma and Anthony stayed in separate rooms in the hotel because our faith strictly bans sex before marriage. The wedding was the happiest day of their lives.
“They were desperate for a family and no one was surprised to hear Emma was expecting not far into the New Year.
“It was no great surprise that Emma was having twins because they run in Anthony’s family every few generations.
“Emma was as happy as I have ever seen her and looking forward to the birth.
“Now it is up to everyone to rally round and look after Anthony and the twins,” A coroner’s office source confirmed: “We are investigating why she did not have a transfusion. An inquest will be held.”


Medics’ pleas ... hospital where Jehovah mum gave birth

[steve10574]

crazy you would think the want of life would take over

at least she had real faith in something how many of us can say that

still dont agree with it though if a doctor can save a life he should be able to no matter what you believe in

[muttleymacclad]

Ok, you have to respect peoples religious views but what a tragedy for the kids. In my opinion very selfish. Will the father not be doubting his faith now?

However as we can't discuss religion on here this thread may not last long or may turn into one of THOSE threads.

MML

[BertRoot]

I wonder if her kids will respect her decision when they are motherless in years to come. I'd be surprised to be honest.

[-AMO-]

at least she had real faith in something how many of us can say that

Blind sighted, incapable of logical reasoning, bordering on insane. Yes, she is one to be admired.

[TwoPlAnKs]

lol this thread is definitly getting closed

i'm amazed nobody has pointed out how jobsworth the doctors were. if this had been a cleaner who didnt clean something to avoid offending somebodies beliefs everyone would be going mental

[steve10574]

Blind sighted, incapable of logical reasoning, bordering on insane. Yes, she is one to be admired.

i would say admired is quite strong like i said in the rest of my post think the treatment should have been carried out because effectively she committed suicide and they would not let someone dieing do that

[GTI]

I think the papers might be putting 1 + 1 together and coming up with 3.

Ms Gough's mother-in-law Sham Gough, said: "The family have told me that a blood transfusion wouldn't have saved Emma."
BBC News website

[BBK]

i'm amazed nobody has pointed out how jobsworth the doctors were. if this had been a cleaner who didnt clean something to avoid offending somebodies beliefs everyone would be going mental

can you just clarify this one for me? Are you saying you think the doctor's should override someone's wishes? As far as I'm concerned if someone is so desperate to get to a god that they disregard the two lives they've just created then sorry, but we should let them go. Personally I think its utter madness, but surely we must retain some element of control over our lives?

[-AMO-]

I think the doctors should have treated her and all her family as people who were mentally unstable and incapable of making decisions for themselves, and hence should have gone ahead and done all they could to save her.

[BBK]

so you're suggesting there that anyone who believes in god is mentally unstable?

interesting!

[-AMO-]

No, i'm suggesting that denying yourself the chance to live and denying your own two children a mother because of a certain religious rule is certainly bordering on insane.

[BBK]

LOL I agree whatever way you look at it, but its a personal opinion and at the end of the day you have to respect the beliefs of others, no matter how alient it seems to us.

[-AMO-]

LOL I agree whatever way you look at it, but its a personal opinion and at the end of the day you have to respect the beliefs of others, no matter how alient it seems to us.

Why must you respect the beliefs of others, just because you're supposed to...

[BBK]

because everyone is different and entitled to take their own path in life. What right do you have to say how anyone else should live their life? Short answer is none.

[-AMO-]

because everyone is different and entitled to take their own path in life. What right do you have to say how anyone else should live their life? Short answer is none.

I have every right to disagree with the way people are living their lifes though, and as far as I'm concerned I don't have to respect peoples life choices just because its their sacred religion.

[GTI]

I would agree with most of the comments here, when you enter into a hospital you should leave your right to refuse "life saving treatment" at the door. Otherwise stay at home at excercise your right to die there.

[BertRoot]

Exactly. What is the point in going to hospital if you are going to be selective about your treatment to the point where you may not survive. Fucking brutally senseless,

[BBK]

So what if something that didn't require blood transfusion would have saved her? Should she have sat at home and thought "hmmm, well, I might need a transfusion, so I'd better stay here and just die instead."

I really am gobsmacked about this place recently, how so many of you seem to want to decide that we should live in a state where we cannot control anything about our own lives. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'd rather live in a society where we still had some freedom to choose. I know for a fact that if I ever have an accident that results in me living in a vegetative state I'd much rather the switch was flicked and the valuable resources were spared to someone who needed it.