There's a reason that they have rules for these sorts of things

[Adam]

Heart patient being kept off transplant list, family says

The family of a 15-year-old heart patient says doctors at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston have informed them that the DeKalb County teen, who is in need of a new heart, will not be placed on a transplant waiting list because of his past behavior.

The family of Anthony Stokes on Sunday released to the media an Aug. 7 letter that states, in part, “the decision was made that Anthony is currently not a transplant candidate due to having a history of non-compliance, which is one of our center’s contraindications to listing for heart transplant.”

“As we discussed today with Anthony’s mother, we will not place Anthony on the heart transplant waiting list at this time due to this decision,” the letter continues.

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta released a statement to Channel 2 Action News on Sunday that read, “The well-being of our patients is always our first priority. We are continuing to work with this family and looking at all options regarding this patient’s health care. We follow very specific criteria in determining eligibility for a transplant of any kind.”

ZOMG! How horrible! How dare they deny a heart transplant to this poor, innocent child who has never done a thing wrong in his life?!?!

Ohs noes!



Oh, wait:

Dying teen added to heart transplant list after family's plea

"They said they don't have any evidence that he would take his medicine or that he would go to his follow-ups," said Melencia Hamilton, Anthony's mother.

Hamilton told Thomas that the transplant is the only fix for her son's enlarged heart.

Keepers of the nation's transplant list have strict guidelines about who qualifies, and while doctors didn't specify the reason, family friends told Thomas they've been told it's partly because Anthony has had low grades and trouble with the law.

"The non-compliance is fabricating, because they don't want to give him a heart," family friend Mack Major told Thomas. "This is unacceptable because he must lose his life because of a non-compliance."

"They've given him a death sentence," said Christine Young Brown, president of the Newton Rockdale County SCLC.

Hmmm....

So he has been failing in school, which might be understandable for a heart patient, but also in trouble with the law, fighting in school, has not been taking his meds....

I can't imagine why they might think that this heart may be wasted on young Anthony!





Well, the hospital relented because of a bunch of political pressure, and he got his transplant.

Teen talks to Channel 2 about journey to get new heart

In a Channel 2 Action News exclusive, the DeKalb County teenager at the center of that controversy about a heart transplant talked with us about his second chance at life.

We first told you this summer, Anthony Stokes was at first denied the transplant when hospital officials learned he had a troubled past. Stokes spent time with Channel 2's Jovita Moore and he told her he's grateful to have another chance.

[....]

Stokes told Moore he had gotten into trouble after some fights at school. He said he forgives the hospital for judging him.

"Because God, he like, said forgive," Stokes said.

Stokes said he deserves a second chance because he has the rest of his life to live.

"So I can live. A second chance. Get a second chance and do, do things I want to do," Stoke said.

Stokes said he plans to finish high school, attend college and start his own computer business. He said he's going to stay out of trouble.

Whew! That's good news. He's going to stay out of trouble now.



Glad that worked out so well.

[scott]

Asshole. Someone else is going to die because this thug got a special exception.

[Adam]

Asshole. Someone else is going to die because this thug got a special exception.

Probably died already, since that was a year and a half ago.

His facebook page is quite telling.



There's some scuttlebutt that this was actually his second transplant, that he had gotten a transplant when he was considerably younger. Hence the reason that he had a "history" of not taking his meds or making it to doctor appointments. I can't confirm that at the moment, and I doubt that it will ever be able to be confirmed because of HIPAA, but it makes some sense. Regardless, it remains scuttlebutt without confirmation.



He and his family live in Decatur, so I rather strongly suspect that this tab was picked up by S-CHIP or Medicaid, which is why I put it in Waste. I certainly concede that it's possible that he somehow had the bestest Kaiser or Humana or whatever coverage that there is, but it's certainly not looking likely.

[Tom Servo]

This is obviously a grave mistake (ha) on the hospital's part. It sounds like he needed a brain transplant instead.

Good riddance to scum, and shame on the hospital for not sticking to its guns.

[Billy Jingo]

An old discussion on the issue of transplants.