NSW court orders ‘faith’ teen back into chemotherapy

A Sydney court has ordered a Christian teen to continue chemotherapy after she refused further treatment for her lethal cancer under the belief it had been cured by a miracle.

An oncologist for the patient called her choice ‘one of the most catastrophically bad decisions I’ve ever seen’. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Bianca De Marchi.

A Sydney court has ordered a Christian teenager to continue chemotherapy after she refused further treatment for her lethal cancer under the belief it had been cured by a miracle.

The NSW Supreme Court was tasked with weighing up the ­maturity, faith and health of the patient, who was convinced Jesus had cured her bone cancer and refused any further treatment.

While the court found the patient was capable of making informed decisions on her own behalf, it mandated that she continue her treatment despite her or her family’s wishes.

In July 2023, the 17-year-old developed bone cancer while on holiday, presenting to hospital with hip pain that was later diagnosed as ewing sarcoma.

Her chemotherapy treatment began in August, where she reported feeling homesick, struggling with hair loss, nausea and constipation.

When the first four rounds of chemotherapy were completed, scans showed no visible tumour mass. The teenager took this as a sign that God had expelled all cancer from her body and sought to end her treatment.

Her parents supported her in this decision.

In NSW, a patient must be 18 to be considered responsible for their own medical treatment, unless a court finds they are competent and have the understanding to act in their own self-interest.

Those cross-examined attested that the young woman was very devout, attending lunchtime bible studies. They also cited her maturity.

A pediatric medical oncologist told the family that a patient could not confidently say they were cancer-free based on scans, and strongly encouraged her to continue treatment.

“When the scans came back clear, I remember the doctors telling me they were not expecting not to be able to see it on the scans,” the girl’s affidavit reads.

“I know it might be hard for other people to understand, but in my mind the only way to explain these results was that they were in answer to our prayers and a complete healing miracle from God.”

A consultation in October determined that it was medically impossible her cancer could have been cured, and her tumour was certain to progress within the following months. If it was given time to spread, the cancer would be lethal and incurable.

The girl’s clinical and forensic psychologist cited her “strong religious belief (that) she is the recipient of a miracle, and her desire to return to her normal life and avoid the complications treatment will bring, especially infertility” as motivators in refusing treatment. “This is not a function of lack of maturity per se, but of the intensity of her religious belief,” he said.

The oncologist told the court he was convinced the patient still had cancer, describing her decision to refuse further treatment as “one of the most catastrophically bad decisions I’ve ever seen”.

The hospital submitted the matter to court in December, and judgment was made by Michael Kingsley Meek.

The hospital sought a declaration that its staff could continue her treatment despite her refusal.

This would be invoked under the Parens Patriae jurisdiction, which states courts have the authority to protect those unable to act on their own behalf.