[Ammi]

A nationwide hunt is under way after a mother and her "seriously ill" seven-year-old son, who is in need of cancer treatment, are thought to have disappeared.

Sally Roberts, also known as Sally Leese, and her son Neon, are thought to have left their home town of Tiverton, Devon, on December 3.

Devon and Cornwall Police launched an urgent appeal after growing concern for the health of the youngster, who has recently undergone surgery for a brain tumour.

Doctors treating him said he is in need of urgent medical attention, a spokesman for the force said. It is believed his mother is opposed to further treatment and has disappeared with him

Their whereabouts is currently unknown, but police are asking any members of the public who may have seen them or know where they are to come forward

Assistant chief constable Chris Boarland said: "Neon is seriously ill and we have huge concern for his welfare. He is currently subject to a Family Court order and I would ask his mother to think about her son's welfare and contact police and medical services as soon as possible.

http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/n...in_tumour_boy/


...I don't understand this...many parents of terminally ill children never give up hope, no matter how hopeless the prognosis.....yet this mother is denying her child the threatment he needs....

[Benjamin]

Maybe the treatment is making him worse and she cannot bear to see her son going through such pain? I know it seems irrational, but to see your son like that may make you do silly things as I imagine it plays with you emotionally and mentally.

[Ammi]

..I don't think he started the treatment yet Ben...I'll check that..but I think he just had the tumour removed and treatment hadn't started yet....

[Ammi]

..it's just been on BBC news that he was found last night...mum doesn't want him to have radiation therapy....

[Cherie]

This is not an easy one to sit in judgement on. The news story is very black and white. The chances of him surviving may be slim, maybe she wants him to have quality of life rather than months of a treatment that is worse than the disease. At 7 he will be aware of what is happening and what is going to happen maybe he is so terrified she feels the only way they can both cope is not to put them through it. Maybe she is so terrified she cant face up to putting him through it. Maybe on reflection she will change her mind....there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to how any parent will react to the news that their child has a potentially terminal disease.

[Ammi]

..I understand what you're saying Cherie...apparantly there is a court case battle as to whether he should have the radiation therapy....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-20619096

[Jake.]

Although he should get every bit of treatment, I feel for the mother in some respects. She is probably so scared about her young-un going through this, it can't be easy for any parent to be told that their kid has a brain tumor.

[Ammi]

..no it can't be ..... obviously we don't know his prognosis or what the results of his treatment would mean...but I hope this is about him and not some sort of feud between the parents...it has been known to happen....

[Cherie]

Mrs Roberts is involved in a court case with an NHS trust and council officials over whether Neon should have radiotherapy treatment.



What does that mean, there is no mention of a partner, the way I read it is that the hospital have taken her to court, does that happen?

[Ammi]

..I think I put the wrong link in Cherie..this is the one that mentions dad...

..I hadn't looked at that one, so I assumed the court battle was between the parents...I don't know..it obviously does happen...I haven't heard of a case before, but I'm sure there must be some.....

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...e-hunt-1475342

[arista]

Mother who ran away with seven-year-old son to stop his life-saving cancer treatment is found with him 160 miles from where they were last seen

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz2EGtq0hSP


He is currently at the centre of a court battle between his parents over whether he should have radiotherapy for the tumour

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Ammi

...I don't understand this...many parents of terminally ill children never give up hope, no matter how hopeless the prognosis.....yet this mother is denying her child the threatment he needs....

I dunno, maybe shes thinking its better to give him a good few months before he goes than more months of surgery and such which might not even work.

I'm not sure if I would think that way about my child, but I know for sure if I had a terminal illness and treatment was making me/was likely to make me ill I would rather take my chances and live whats left of my life to the fullest, than be hooked up to machines and such that might make no difference anyway, and ultimately die in a hospital bed.

[Ammi]

..thanks Arista..who the court battle was between was a bit confusing before..it seemed to be reported differently on different sites....

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

I dunno, maybe shes thinking its better to give him a good few months before he goes than more months of surgery and such which might not even work.

I'm not sure if I would think that way about my child, but I know for sure if I had a terminal illness and treatment was making me ill I would rather take my chances and live whats left of my life to the fullest, than be hooked up to machines and such that might make no difference anyway, and ultimately die in a hospital bed.

..no, I do understand Vicky..and if it was myself, I'd feel the same..I haven't known loads of people who have had children with cancer, so it's not that I have lots of knowledge or anything...but the few I have known...they would do anything to try to prolong the lifespan..and also they haven't ever accepted to prognosis if it was terminal...

..but as Cherie said...everyone thinks differently...I just hope the 'court battle' is about the little guy and not something between the parents....

..EDIT:...their motivations I mean....

[Vanessa]

Awwww! Poor kid. I hope he'll be ok.

[Benjamin]

I hate the fact the fact one of the articles say she is denying him 'life saving' treatment. It's not guaranteed at all and makes her out to be a bad mother, when in fact the risks of this treatment will rapidly deteriorate this boys health and if he then passes away his last months alive have been torture, hospitals and a pretty horrible experience. To me she comes across as scared that his last months alive will be like this, and wants him to have at least some normality back in his life.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Ammi

..thanks Arista..who the court battle was between was a bit confusing before..it seemed to be reported differently on different sites....

Due to

"Mrs Roberts, originally from New Zealand and a keen believer in homeopathic medicine."

[arista]

Originally Posted by Ben

I hate the fact the fact one of the articles say she is denying him 'life saving' treatment. It's not guaranteed at all and makes her out to be a bad mother, when in fact the risks of this treatment will rapidly deteriorate this boys health and if he then passes away his last months alive have been torture, hospitals and a pretty horrible experience. To me she comes across as scared that his last months alive will be like this, and wants him to have at least some normality back in his life.

the NZ Mother

[Benjamin]

Thanks for the picture Arista. Not that it makes any difference to my opinion, or if it was meant to?

If she believes in homeopathic medicine then that is her belief, obviously the father feels differently and thinks the opposite, but to force a child into treatment that has no guarantees and will make him feel ill, weak, and constantly in hospital is wrong, regardless of what anyone says.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Ben

Thanks for the picture Arista. Not that it makes any difference to my opinion, or if it was meant to?

If she believes in homeopathic medicine then that is her belief, obviously the father feels differently and thinks the opposite, but to force a child into treatment that has no guarantees and will make him feel ill, weak, and constantly in hospital is wrong, regardless of what anyone says.

Yes but it will not work for this
Everyone knows that.

[Kizzy]

What a heartbreaking decision to make. I agree with cherie and vicky in their view, it's almost impossible to imagine having to face that sort of decision.
I couldn't imagine what I would do in those circumstances.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by arista

Due to

"Mrs Roberts, originally from New Zealand and a keen believer in homeopathic medicine."

with all due respect to the advances in the fight against cancer. the power of the mind ie. a positive attitude and a diet high in vegetable juice ...super foods has been found to prolong to the iife of people with cancer. Radiotherapy has extremely severe side effects as well documented. I can see both sides of the argument but unless the child as our own I don't really think we can judge what is best for him.

[Benjamin]

Originally Posted by arista

Yes but it will not work for this
Everyone knows that.

Actually that is not true as Cherie has just pointed out, and even if not for that there is no guarantee that radiotherapy will work, and it will put the boy through hell. Courts should not be allowed to force someone to put their child through that and I hope they don't.

[Vanessa]

Originally Posted by Ben

Actually that is not true as Cherie has just pointed out, and even if not for that there is no guarantee that radiotherapy will work, and it will put the boy through hell. Courts should not be allowed to force someone to put their child through that and I hope they don't.

But radiotherapy could save his life.

[Kizzy]

It could be the position of the tumor, the brain is very delicate wouldn't that make radiation therapy so much more risky?