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THE COVID-19 RESPONSE: A PATHWAY FOR DISCRIMINATION AND THE CULTURE OF DEATH

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December 2020
By Mariah Buzza

If the year 2020 has revealed anything, it is that suffering is an inevitable part of life. While Christians believe Christ has redeemed suffering, it is an experience that all will endure. The COVID-19 Pandemic has single handedly reminded us of this reality. From economic depression to the looming fear of the virus, anxiety abounds. However, the key to the Christian life lies in how we respond to suffering. While the virus is indeed a threat to human life, has society at large responded in a way that is counter-productive and creative of even greater suffering? Have we paved a way for the culture of death?

In response to the virus, governments throughout the United States initially shut down all activity it deemed “non-essential.” In this process, lawmakers declared what aspects of life were to be considered “essential” or “life-sustaining.” It should not come as a surprise that churches were not included in the latter category, as society has become increasingly disaffiliated with [1], and in some areas, hostile towards [2] Christianity and religion in general. For a culture and society that is increasingly replacing religion with an aggressive moral relativism [3], this process of distinguishing between that which is essential and non-essential is contradictory and, in some cases, clearly discriminatory.

The lack of consideration for churches as essential not only highlights the decline of religiosity but ultimately paves the way for discrimination that is already occurring. An example of this discrimination can be seen in the state of New York [4], where caps were put on the number of attendees allowed to participate in worship services but not on businesses, and despite the fact that evidence exists that when guidelines are followed the risk of spread remains low[5] in houses of worship. Thankfully the Supreme Court agreed that the caps were improper and struck the order down, but this type of inconsistent regulation is not merely a disconnected symptom of increasing religious disaffiliation, but is actively damaging to the life of numerous souls.

Suffering Souls Forced to Die Alone

A bleak reality of the COVID-19 pandemic is that those suffering the most from the virus have been forced to die alone for fear of viral spread. Hospitals across the United States have restricted patients from receiving visitors. However, these restrictions have gone so far as to bar the sick from receiving a visit from a pastor or priest, and in some cases causing them to die without final encouragement from a spiritual leader. In some cases, dying patients have also been denied the ability to see their families simply to say goodbye.[6] As time has passed many hospitals have loosened their restrictions for the dying, however it remains problematic that the most vulnerable lack the freedom to nourish their souls in their final moments. The treatment of the dying as mere transmitters of a disease shows how little we value the life and dignity of each and every person.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that humanity has forgotten the sanctity of life and the value of community. One need only look to the New Testament to understand the centrality and need for community in living the Christian life. As Jesus said in the Gospel of Matthew, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them.”(Matthew 18:20) God is all the more present when Christians are together in communion with each other and it is very clear that Christ desires this. In a time in which God is needed more than ever, communion is needed more than ever. It is not good for man to be alone.

The COVID-19 Pandemic has illuminated the battle between the culture of life and the culture of death that exists in our society and appears to be culminating in the field of health care. The culture of life will only prevail through an acknowledgement of the immense dignity that every human life possesses and that this dignity calls for communion. Health care professionals and our legislative bodies can only promote the culture of life by acknowledging a patient’s right to ethical treatment at all stages of life and allowing patients the resources necessary to care for their spiritual health in respect of their First Amendment Right to Freedom of Religion.

from the desk of the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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December 2020
By Anne O’Meara, Executive Director

In May of 2020, we introduced the HALO Helpline (1-888-221-4256)! This was an exciting milestone for HALO, and we want to thank YOU for helping make this possible.

With respect to the timing of the rollout, I believe God lent a hand. As you know, 2020 has been an unbelievable year. We have struggled with an unprecedented global battle with the coronavirus pandemic. We have seen disturbing headlines regarding doctors and hospitals discussing the “necessity” of rationing ventilators and weighing universal DNR orders for coronavirus patients. And now it seems that COVID is being used as a pretext to usher in “rationing of care.” Numerous recent news stories, including Ohio ‘Extremely Close’ To Rationing Care Due To COVID-19 Surge (yahoo.com) and Sultan: Who gets health care if rationing begins? | Aisha Sultan | stltoday.com, show that a coordinated campaign is underway to condition the public to get used to rationing care as a component of the “new normal.”

COVID-19 has clearly exposed the vulnerability of the elderly and disabled, particularly when healthcare resources are considered “scarce.” While we understand that resources which are scarce may not be available to everyone who needs them, our Helpline patient advocates can advise callers about patients’ rights, especially when they are at risk of unjust discrimination. Decisions about who receives treatment must never be based solely on age or disability.

The HALO Helpline has expanded HALO’s reach and ability to deliver on our mission “to promote, protect, and advocate for the rights of the medically vulnerable.” Our volunteer patient advocates offer free and confidential information, support, and referrals for patients, their family members, and caregivers who have concerns about the treatment and care a patient is receiving in any healthcare setting, either at home or in a facility.

Some of the topics our Patient Advocates respond to most often are:

  • The hospital is threatening to stop my loved one’s treatment, including tube-feeding. What can I do?
  • How should I handle healthcare threats that my loved one is experiencing?
  • Should I have a do not resuscitate (DNR) order on file?
  • I think my mom (dad, friend, …) died from drug overdosing in hospice. Am I crazy?
  • What type of advance directive do you recommend?


As Julie Grimstad mentions in her article Protecting Lives Through Patient Advocacy, most of us will have opportunities to serve as patient advocates when a relative or friend faces a medical crisis or when they need long-term care. Preparing yourself beforehand may equip you to save the life of someone you love. To assist our patient advocates in handling Helpline calls, we provide a comprehensive Patient Advocate Guide and conduct monthly training calls. The FAQ’s in the Training Guide will equip you to handle similar situations should the need arise.

In closing, I want to thank each one of HALO’s volunteer patient advocates. Like the three kings displayed at the top of this newsletter, each patient advocate generously gives the gifts of their time and talents to honor God and show love to His children who are facing distressing medical situations. We are grateful beyond measure for their support. In future newsletters, we plan to introduce our volunteer patient advocates to you. Watch for more information!

from the desk of the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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November 2020
By Anne O’Meara, Executive Director

Imagine this frightening scenario…

You are watching your grandchildren and find your 4-year old grandson lying face down in the backyard pool. You do CPR and he is rushed to the hospital. For the first couple of days, he breathes on his own. Then, he experiences brain swelling and is placed on a ventilator. Click here to read more.

PERINATAL PALLIATIVE CARE

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By Julie Grimstad, Board President

November 2020

When preborn babies are diagnosed with serious disabling and sometimes life-threatening conditions, parents routinely are pressured to choose abortion. When they refuse to have their babies killed, perinatal (perinatal means around the time of birth) palliative care may be offered to them. This specialized support is also available for children with disorders that are not detected until after birth. Perinatal palliative care (a.k.a. perinatal hospice) is provided from the time of diagnosis through the baby’s birth and death. Perinatal palliative care is akin to hospice services provided to older patients and their families.

An idealistic picture

The professed goal of the specialty called Hospice and Palliative Medicine (HPM) is to relieve symptoms—including pain and stress. Palliative care can be initiated at any stage in a serious illness and provided in conjunction with curative or life-prolonging treatment. Hospice care is a subset of palliative care. Hospice is focused on providing comfort care when a patient no longer has curative options or has chosen to forgo treatment because the burdens of treatment outweigh the benefits.

When palliative care is provided by medical professionals who genuinely respect and protect the life of every person committed to their care, it can be a blessing that improves the quality of life for both the patient and the family. Unfortunately, not all HPM providers believe that every human life has equal worth.

Organizations that promote hospice present an idealistic picture of compassionate “end-of-life” care, but the realistic picture is that palliative care often is a pathway to imposed (intentionally caused) death for vulnerable patients who cannot protect themselves. [1] Therefore, when a loved one is receiving palliative care, families must be vigilant, and that includes families of newborns with serious but not necessarily fatal conditions.

The pros and cons of perinatal palliative care

The website Perinatal Hospice & Palliative Care states, “Perinatal palliative care helps parents embrace whatever life their baby might be able to have, before and after birth.” [2] Providing comfort care is compassionate and appropriate when a baby is close to death and there is no way to preserve their life. But, what if medical treatment might extend or save a baby’s life?

Families are not always told the whole truth, which may lead them to choose death for their sick or disabled child. Mary Kellett, the president and founder of Prenatal Partners for Life, explains, “Predicting the future in only a negative light is a common experience for families who receive a diagnosis. Families are told all the things their child will never do. Families are sometimes made to feel guilty for wanting to embrace the life of their child and help their child reach their full potential.” [3]

Sometimes, families are told their child’s condition is “incompatible with life” when timely and appropriate medical treatment could save their baby’s life. When parents then accept the offer of perinatal hospice, it is a death sentence for their baby. Perinatal hospice provides comfort care, which means pain medication and sedation, but no life-support or life-saving treatment. Although perinatal hospice providers will deny it, they often hasten their little patients’ deaths.

Sara Buscher, Esq., a member of HALO’s Advisory Board, provides evidence to support this assertion.

Remember when Governor Ralph Northam said a baby born alive after an abortion would be kept comfortable. Then, the doctor would discuss withholding life-sustaining treatment (i.e. food and liquids) from the baby with its parents. Recall the outrage? Everyone recognized this was infanticide. Well, Governor Northam is a pediatrician who spent 19 years as a children’s’ hospice medical director.

Judie Brown, the president of American Life League and another member of HALO’s Advisory Board, sums up the situation.

And so once again society is left with two choices.

Shall we choose to listen to those who believe that imposed death is best or those who respect the vulnerable life of someone who may well die, but only in God’s time without outside interference.

Respect for life does not embrace exceptions.


[1] “Palliative Care: A Pathway to Imposed Death,” by Ioana Caranica and Julie Grimstad, Celebrate Life Magazine, Winter 2020.
[2] https://www.perinatalhospice.org/list-of-programs
[3] “Lies Have No Place in Medicine,” by Mary Kellett, HALO Herald, January 21, 2020, https://newsletter.halovoice.org/2020/01/lies-have-no-place-in-medicine

from the desk of the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

· ·

November 2020
By Anne O’Meara, Executive Director

Imagine this frightening scenario…

You are watching your grandchildren and find your 4-year old grandson lying face down in the backyard pool. You do CPR and he is rushed to the hospital. For the first couple of days, he breathes on his own. Then, he experiences brain swelling and is placed on a ventilator.

Hours after the brain swelling episode occurs, you witness a team of doctors advising your daughter and her husband that they need to think about the resources their child is using – implying resources are being wasted on their little boy. “Your child is most likely ‘brain dead’,” the doctors tell them. “If he lives, he will always be a burden to your family.” Finally, the doctors cut to the chase, saying, “We advise performing an apnea test to determine if he is ‘brain dead.’ If he is, you need to think about showing compassion for others, stopping life support, and donating his organs to help a child who desperately needs them.”

Your daughter and her husband vehemently refuse to consider stopping treatment or life support. They believe there is reason to hope, and God alone should decide when their child dies. After a challenging conversation, the doctors leave. A couple of hours later, a new doctor strides into the hospital room. He introduces himself as the doctor in charge of the unit and informs the family that he will be doing an assessment that afternoon which will be followed by a secondary assessment 12 hours later. He then matter-of-factly states, “If the child doesn’t pass the assessments, we will remove the ventilator.” This means your grandson will most likely die. As you listen to this arrogant doctor talk about the life and death of your grandson, you get the impression that he thinks he is God—that is, he will be the one to decide whether your grandson lives or dies.

As this doctor talks, it becomes apparent his mind is already made up to withdraw life support from your grandson. You ask, “How can you do this? Withdrawing life support is the family’s decision, not yours.” He responds, “These situations are always tough. One needs to weigh the benefits and burdens of treatment. It is the opinion of our Ethics Committee that it wouldn’t be in the child’s best interest to continue treatment or life support as he would have a low quality of life in the future.”

Did you know?

Many of the calls we receive on the HALO Helpline (1-888-221-4256) are strikingly similar to this scenario. While the doctor in the case above never mentions “futility policy,” that is what he is referring to. Futile Care Theory is the proposal that life-sustaining treatment can be withheld or withdrawn, against a patient’s or family’s wishes, based on arbitrary “quality of life” and/or “cost-benefit” judgments. In many cases, it is the patient’s life that is deemed futile (i.e., useless)—not the treatment. When a patient or family objects to stopping life-sustaining treatment, the final decision is usually made by a hospital-appointed ethics committee.

Patients and their families expect doctors and hospitals to protect and preserve lives, not to decide that some lives are unworthy of care. Nevertheless, hospital “medical futility” policies threaten the lives of unsuspecting patients every day. Such policies, often supported by state laws, result in inexpressible human suffering.

In many “futile care” situations, the patient is declared “brain dead.” The legal definition of brain death is “irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brain stem.” [1] Because there is a wide variation in “brain death” criteria used by leading neurological institutions, a person could be considered “brain dead” in one hospital and alive in another.[2] One test that is always required in determining “brain death” is the apnea test mentioned above. It entails turning off the ventilator for up to 10 minutes to see if the patient can breathe independently. This test can cause additional brain damage and/or a heart attack.[3] Testing for death should never be done at the risk of harming or killing a patient. The apnea test is often performed without consent.

My biggest surprise

In closing, my biggest surprise since coming to HALO has been realizing that the pro-death movement has its tentacles in every aspect of healthcare, including the denial of care based on degrading decisions about whose lives are “not worth living.”

So, what can YOU do to address the issue of healthcare providers denying patients life-sustaining treatment against their wishes? In the words of Dr. Howard Koh, formerly the assistant secretary for health at the US Department of Health and Human Services, “Advocacy is the engine for change, and the beauty of it is that it can begin with just one person.” [4] Be that person! Prepare yourself to be a life-affirming advocate for those near and dear to you when they need medical care. HALO can help you get ready to make a difference.

For more information, call 1-888-221-HALO or email feedback@halovoice.org.

BECOME A VOICE FOR THE VULNERABLE!

[1] Uniform Determination of Death Act / [2] Neurology. 2008;70;284-289. / [3] “’Brain Death’ is Not Death!” 2005 [4] Robert Allen Bear, MD, “Involuntary Discharge from Dialysis: A Health Care Practice like No Other,” KevinMD.co