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| Britain |
| Dad of teen with drink-related illness faces legal battle to get his son a liver transplant |
| 2009-08-25 |
| The father of a critically ill teenager who could be denied the chance of a liver transplant because his illness is drink-related says he faces a two-week race against time to secure him the life-saving operation. While 19-year-old Gareth Anderson has been told he may be dead in a fortnight, NHS transplant guidelines mean it could be six months before he can go on the waiting list for a new liver. Ah the wonders of socialized medicine! You must wait in line before they will put you on the waiting list. His father Brian is pursuing a legal challenge to get his son the operation and has pleaded with politicians and health chiefs to treat the case as an exception. 'I'm dealing with a timebomb now,' he said. 'I've basically two weeks to save Gareth.' Although it is common medical practice in the UK to insist that liver patients whose conditions are linked to alcohol abuse go without a drink for six months before going on the waiting list, it is only a guideline and not a formal rule. Mr Anderson insists the policy should apply to older patients with chronic alcoholism, not a teenager who has never before needed medical treatment for a drink related illness. His son, who was transferred from the Ulster hospital near Belfast to King's College Hospital, London, at the weekend, suffered acute liver failure after drinking 30 cans of lager on a weekend binge-drinking session earlier this month. He may not get a new liver but he could always end up in the, um, Guinness book of records ... A spokesman for King's College Hospital said he was in a stable condition. 'I have to take this to the courts, what else can I do,' said Mr Anderson. 'In my opinion Gareth doesn't fit in with the six-month policy.' While Mr Anderson originally intended to launch a judicial review in Belfast High Court, it is understood the legal challenge may now have to be made in England after the teenager's move to London. Last week Northern Ireland Health Minister Michael McGimpsey came under pressure to intervene, but he made clear that all decisions about the case had to be left in the hands of the doctors. "Nope! Scientific socialism says the kid has to die, I won't intervene. My good feelings for myself are more important than the life of a prole." World-renowned liver specialist professor Roger Williams, who treated Belfast-born footballer George Best in his infamous battle with drink, has also become involved in the debate, claiming the guidelines should be loosened in circumstances such as those faced by the teenager. |
| Posted by:gromky |
| #5 Alcohol overdose resulting in death is pretty common. But it is rare that a single binge drinking will destroy a liver, but not kill you. The timing is too difficult. This leads me to suspect that he had a bum liver to begin with, which does happen. I knew one man on an intensely restrictive diet, because in his late teens it was discovered that, showing almost no symptoms, his liver was about the size of a thumb. Fully functional, he was on the waiting list for a transplant, but if he consumed anything that stressed his liver, he could be done. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2009-08-25 10:17 |
| #4 Was it 30 cans of Foster's or Budweiser? Hate to say it, but even if he was put on the top of the list, there's no guarantee that there would be a suitable match in that short period of time. |
| Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie 2009-08-25 08:47 |
| #3 In other news, Amy Winehouse is back to snorting coke even though it caused her emphysema. |
| Posted by: gorb 2009-08-25 03:03 |
| #2 Frank, the only thing I can figure is that this kid bought beer in REALLY BIG cans! |
| Posted by: Scooter McGruder 2009-08-25 01:05 |
| #1 suffered acute liver failure after drinking 30 cans of lager on a weekend binge-drinking session earlier this month. meh. that was called "Saturday" at my San Diego State University fraternity |
| Posted by: Frank G 2009-08-25 00:15 |