Posted on 07/28/2017 1:29:40 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A schoolgirl who went to court to claim her right to die but changed her mind has celebrated graduating from university.
Hannah Jones was just 13 when, left drained by debilitating surgery to cure a fatal heart condition worsened by a lengthy cancer battle, she refused to have a transplant.
Her decision stunned the world when she calmly stated she would rather die than undergo more hospital trauma and simply wanted to live her last days in peace.
She made history by fending off a legal bid by medics to force her to have treatment for heart failure.
Hannah in front of the Princess Castle in the Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida before her heart transplant (Image: SWNS.com)
Hannah at EuroDisney in 2000 during treatment for leukaemia (Image: SWNS.com)
Hannah in her bed in Great Ormond Street Hospital while recovering from a heart transplant (Image: SWNS.com) READ MORE Woman shares sickening injuries inflicted on her by fiancé who 'went crazy' if she served men at Starbucks The hospital she was in began High Court proceedings to temporarily remove her from her parents' custody to allow the transplant to go ahead.
Hannah was required to plead her case to a child protection officer, who persuaded Hereford Hospital to back down.
But Hannah's condition deteriorated and aged 14, having changed her mind, she underwent a six-and-a-half-hour transplant operation at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
The donor was a 40-year-old man who died in a motorcycle accident in Scotland.
Hannah has now just celebrated achieving a 2:2 degree in English and Drama from Aberystwyth University and says she "regrets nothing" about her decisions.
Hannah on her graduation day (Image: SWNS.com) Hannah, who lives in New Quay, Ceredigion, with her mum Kirsty, 51, and step-father Daniel Potter, 53, said: "I can't quite believe how long it was.
"At the time it happened it opened my eyes up to another world - the fact I was making an impact from America to New Zealand.
"At the time it was right for me to do it. I wasn't going to be pushed into making that decision.
"I was exhausted by the drugs and the pressure I was under and I don't regret my decision. It was right for me to challenge the doctors at the time.
"I changed my mind when I was 14 when I started to think of the things I wanted to do with my life and just thought I have to have a transplant in order to do them.
"If I had chosen to have a transplant earlier then I might not be in the position I am in now. I regret nothing about the decisions I made."
Hannah in a children's ward after she announced she had decided to undergo a heart transplant operation (Image: SWNS.com)
Hannah celebrates her 16th birthday with friends at home (Image: SWNS.com)
As a 16-year-old she got to meet JB, Marvin, Ortise and Aston of JLS (Image: SWNS.com) READ MORE A mum kept all the non-recyclable plastic from her shopping to try to shame a supermarket into action
Two years after her transplant, Hannah spent two weeks in intensive care after being struck down with Swine Flu and was forced to take up to 15 pills a day.
She added: "I have to look after myself. I don't drink alcohol and have to watch what I eat.
"I still take lots of pills every day and have to look after my heart but I have a future.
"I don't know anything about the donor other than it was a man who died in a motorbike accident in Scotland. I am very grateful for the chance to live."
Hannah, who is dating Phd science student Sum Mistry, 28, is now preparing to start a teaching course at Bath University this September.
On top of her studies, Hannah is also spearheading a campaign to save New Quay's lifeboat being downgraded to an inshore craft.
Her mum Kirsty, who separated from Hannah's dad Andrew, three years ago, said: "I am such a proud mum.
"We just hope the family of the donor know how much Hannah has benefitted. This is something huge that was done for us.
"Now Hannah can teach and inspire little children and show others that things are possible post-transplant.
"Hannah is now hoping to help save lives at sea with her campaign to keep the all weather lifeboat. Having had her own saved she knows the importance more than most."
How Charlie Gard reminded Hannah of her own legal battle
Hannah Jones, 22, said that following the heartbreaking case of terminally-ill 11-month-old Charlie Gard reminded her of her own legal battle.
She said: "Once again we see a hospital fighting the patient, or in Charlie Gard's case, his parents.
"I had to fight for my rights as a patient and the same has been true for the parents of Charlie Gard.
"I would always say that patients have the ultimate right to decide whether to have treatment or not.
"Just because I changed my mind about having a transplant, it was not fair the doctors could try and overrule me.
"I would like to see far more compassion when it comes to case like mine and that of Charlie Gard."
Hannah also said she would like to meet the family of her donor to thank them for her heart.
She said: "When I look back on all my health problems, I can't believe I'm in the position I am in now.
"I would like to meet my donor's family. I would just like to say thank you for giving me life. I have to write a letter and it will be down to them whether they want to meet me.
"At the moment I am concentrating on my future. I have always dreamed of becoming a primary school teacher and in September I'll start my PGCE.
"I really can't wait to get started. I'm also leading a campaign to save the all-weather lifeboat from being downgraded.
"My life was saved by others and I feel very strongly about helping those who put themselves at risk to save people.
"I also want to use my own experiences to help talk to people, especially children, who might be in a similar position that I was.
"If I can use my own experiences to help other people then that is something I would love to do."
“Hannah ... says she “regrets nothing” about her decisions.”
Except that she did regret her decision to kill herself or else she would be dead.
God Bless her!
I don’t quite think that was the issue. We assume that, but it seems really it was just “let it be”, not “kill me”.
If you read closely it seems like the she wasn’t asking to be allowed suicide, it was she wanted the power to decide to not get extraordinary treatment like a heart transplant. I am sure you would agree there is a tremendous moral difference between actively taking a life and letting nature take its course without taking extraordinary steps to save a life. As the Charlie Gard story illustrated, the British medical system seems to think that it has the right toke make all the decisions for a sick person.
Praise the Lord.
Yes, it’s hard to say exactly what happened. And they nly briefly mention the parents. Anyway, it’s nice that one of these stories worked out for the best.
Roe vs. Wade was supposedly decided on the basis of a patient being able to make their own healthcare decisions. But now the U.S. seems to be abandoning the underlying rationale.
Not really a “right to die” case. She was not asking for suicide nor for medical abandonment (cessation of ordinary care like nutrition -hydration.) Medical suicide and medical abandonment are both morally wrong.
She was declining an extraordinary surgical intervention. She had every right to do that. She was saying, “Yes, just keep me comfortable and give me ordinary care, but let nature take its course. “. Quite within her rights.
Changing her mind down the road, was also within her rights. At that point she had a better perspective on her chances for improvement, and she decided to go for it.
Bottom line: patient’s right to make morally acceptable choices. Very glad it worked out for her.
RvW was also derived from an implied “right to privacy” in the Constitution. However subsequent court decisions on privacy seem to make our privacy rights curiously narrow. Somehow I doubt the left wing of the Court will have the intellectual consistency to rethink their support of RvW in light of their more recent opinions.
Ironic, no? Here, she had to sue to NOT go through long/painful/extraordinary treatment.
In the UK, they sue to be ALLOW (and get denied).
That’s OK, though. McCain made it so the latter will be coming to the former shortly enough.
>
Roe vs. Wade was supposedly decided on the basis of a patient being able to make their own healthcare decisions. But now the U.S. seems to be abandoning the underlying rationale.
>
Yet, that won’t be a considering in an attempt to over-turn the same.
Hell, the ‘question’ of a gestating human in the womb = baby isn’t dared asked...(D), the party of ‘science’, my @ss.
This is not a “right to die” story.
It is a “right to decide” story. That - right to decide, against the bureaucrats commands is what the girl won “the right” to.
That she thought she had been through all she could take and did not think very extraordinary measures should be tried, is not the same as someone who in different circumstances decides to commit suicide.
Privacy when convenient for them.
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