The Driscoll family is left devastated and shocked after receiving a letter from social services that states the government could be taking their daughter, who is suffering from Rett syndrome, into foster care, reported Metro. Melody is an 11-year-old girl who was has undergone 40 surgeries in her short time living and was expected to live only to 5-years-old. Recently, the hospital where she resides, King’s College Hospital, is being sued by her parents for their decision to start taking Melody off of morphine since they believe it is causing liver damage.
Melody suffers from Rett syndrome, a rare disease that affects the development of the brain, stunting growth physically and mentally leaving one disabled. To learn more about Rett syndrome, click here.
Nigel and Karina, Melody’s parents, are fighting the hospital for their decisions with their daughter. They think that weening her off of morphine would lead to intense withdrawals and cause her to have a heart attack. While trying to fight the hospital, the parents reached out to social services in hopes to get help in the situation. Instead of being helped, they received a letter stating they could be taking Melody away from the family. Shocked, upset and confused, the parents, who have four other children, tried to understand why they would do this as they express they are loving parents, who want nothing but the best for their children. Instead, the hospital reported to social services that the parents were difficult and not the best situation for the child.
Now the family has to not only fight the hospital, but also social services, by taking legal action and hiring a lawyer. Unfortunately for the family, legal services are looking to cost a whopping 50,000 euros, something they cannot afford right now. The parents expressed that while keeping her on drugs might shorten her life, at least her quality of life would be better. Also, they shared that the hospital doesn’t think the daughter is in real pain, just a misbehaving child. A spokesperson for the hospital shared that any action they make is made with intent to benefit the patient the best they can.
