Perth Court Orders Chemotherapy For 6-year-old, Overruling Parents' Refusal

One Perth court ordered that a six-year-old boy suffering from medulloblastoma, a brain tumour diagnosed last December, needs to undergo chemotherapy.

The court was ruling on a legal action by the doctor at the Princess Margaret Hospital. The medico charged the parents of Oshin Strachan---Angela Kiszko and Adrian Strachan---of not agreeing to let their son take chemotherapy.

The parents do not wish to opt for chemotherapy because they say they do not want Oshin "to become a lab rat," reports 9News.

The mother, Kiszko, is more inclined to let him take "palliative care", as she has seen her mother and stepmother suffering from the side-effects of chemotherapy even as they fought cancer.

Kiszo had testified to the court, "The children are not really alive, they are completely drugged and exhausted and on the verge of death."

Stephen Thackray, chief justice of the Family Court in Perth overruled the parents, though he agreed that the parents were just following what they thought was best. However, he wanted to opt for the child getting long-term treatment and following what he thought was best.

Thackeray observed that Oshin's survival rate works out to 30 percent if for five years he started chemotherapy. When it is combined with radiotherapy, the survival rates go up by 50 percent. However, if Oshin does not get treatment he may die.

Having undergone surgery in 2015, Oshin may even die in a few months if he did not take chemotherapy, warn doctors. Thackeray wanted him to start the treatment following his birthday party. He ordered that the parents could not bring the boy out of Australia.