Teen battles state over cancer treatment

Friday, August 11, 2006 Posted: 1250 GMT (2050 HKT)

Whether 16 is old enough to reject traditional cancer treatment is at the heart of a trial slated to begin next week on the Eastern Shore town of Accomac.

Starchild Abraham Cherrix, a 16-year-old suffering from Hodgkin’s disease, has refused chemotherapy and radiation treatments ordered by his oncologist in favor of an herbal remedy prescribed by a Mexican clinic.

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Although the right of states to compel medical treatment for gravely ill children over their parents’ wishes is well established, Abraham’s case is noteworthy because he has articulated strongly his own reasons for refusing conventional treatment

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MORE: CNN.com – Teen battles state over cancer treatment – Aug 11, 2006