Jehovah's Blood Transfusion
Medical neglect is the most common form of child abuse.
Jehovah's Witnesses don't accept certain
medical procedures and treatments, the most common being the blood transfusion.
Child neglect is not often seen as being as serious as child abuse; however, many cases of child neglect have led to death. DCFS states that “neglect happens when a parent or responsible caretaker fails to provide adequate supervision, food, clothing, shelter or other basics for a child.” If a child is severely ill, he/she requires medical attention; however, certain medical treatments are rejected by Jehovah’s Witnesses, who believe that blood transfusions are unacceptable because of biblical references to the sacredness of blood. At twelve years old, Pamela Hamil, of Tennessee, and her family, refused blood transfusions for her rare bone cancer because of their religious beliefs. Had a court order not forced her to begin treatment, the disease would have killed her. After her remarkable recovery, her father insisted that "The medicine didn't do it, it came through God."
