A Connecticut teen has been in the headlines for her legal battle to avoid chemotherapy. The 17-year-old was back in court Monday — this time, for a custody hearing.
Cassandra C. lost the case to choose her own treatment and was forced to undergo chemotherapy for Hodgkin's lymphoma. Had she gotten her way, she would have sought alternative cancer treatment.
After the teen missed several chemo appointments, doctors notified the Connecticut Department of Children and Families. The agency gained custody of Cassandra, taking her away from mother Jackie Fortin.
Though she still has a couple of sessions left, Cassandra has been pronounced in remission. She says she's happy about this, though she still wishes that she had been granted the right to decide her own treatment. Now she just wants to be with her mother.
The custody hearing will determine whether Cassandra will be allowed to live at home for the remainder of her treatment. At the moment, Cassandra is confined at the Connecticut Children's Medical Center. Fortin is not allowed to visit her daughter.
Fortin's attorney Michael Taylor says they would at least like to be granted visiting rights, if they don't succeed in getting custody. Fortin wants to "end the whole thing" — but if the court doesn't budge, she wants to do as much for her daughter as possible, which includes quality time together.
The teen was unable to deliver her testimony in person, so she aired her side via video conference.
When Cassandra first went up against the court, she invoked the mature minor doctrine that stipulates some underage teens are mature enough to make their own life-changing decisions. When she turns 18 in September, Cassandra will have the right to make her own choices regarding any further medical treatment.
The American Cancer Society estimates that around 9,050 new cases of Hodgkin's lymphoma will be diagnosed in 2015, claiming around 1,150 lives. Up to 15 percent of cases occur in children and teens.
Photo: Takashi Hososhima | Flickr
