Urgent Call to Action: Stop Killing the Medically Vulnerable
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., May 14, 2024 / — The Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network is encouraged by the recent study from the Journal of Neurotrauma (published online May 13, 2024). The study lasted more than seven years and involved 1,392 patients who sustained a traumatic brain injury and were admitted to intensive care units in 18 U.S. trauma centers.
Researchers found that patients who were given a poor recovery prognosis were having their life-sustaining treatment withdrawn within days of experiencing their brain injury. However, 40% of the patients who did not have their treatment removed recovered with at least some independence. This conclusion closely follows what the Life & Hope Network has been saying since its founding – brain-injured persons who are provided proper care can (and will) recover and it is not a “rare” event.
Bobby Schindler, President of the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network, stated, “Sadly, we cannot bring back those patients who were never afforded the opportunity to receive therapeutic treatment, often against the wishes of their family or caretakers. However, as this study shows, because each patient’s brain injury/recovery is unique, more time must be afforded before making the grave decision to end the patient’s life – a decision that can never be changed.
Schindler also highlighted the important legislative work that the organization has supported over the years. “This demonstrates that our efforts to reinforce basic due process and duty of care for the brain injured and the disabled are of paramount concern, and legislative authorities should take notice when crafting laws and regulations.
“The resolution championed by the Life & Hope Network, adopted by the Michigan legislature that supported the due process rights of the medically vulnerable, is a great example of what a concerned state representative can do right now to bring needed visibility to this issue.”
Schindler concluded, “This study is critical and challenges the integrity of the system to right a wrong, and these findings should serve as a blessing to these vulnerable patients and their families. It also validates what the Life & Hope Network has been advocating for since it was started nearly 20 years ago – the brain needs more time to heal before families are pressured to end the lives of their loved ones. We will continue to advocate for the brain injured and all medically weak and vulnerable persons to assure that their medical rights are protected.”
Since 2005, the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network, a 501(c)(3), has responded to requests from thousands of families, helping them with advocacy, guidance, and resources at no charge. As this study shows, supporting the Life & Hope Network and its mission as patient advocates is of the utmost importance. For more information or to donate, visit lifeandhope.com