should be made a "ward of the court" or placed with a suitable guardian. When anyone undergoes treatment for cancer the support of the family is well-recognized as critical to a patient's recovery and well-being. Clearly her mother has other ideas and the child should therefore be removed and cared for appropriately. The court's ruling was correct.

Hassidic Jews have lost contact with realty. The problem is terrible. the court is right to save children from ignorance.

As a doctor I guess this tumor is likely osteosarcoma.The girl lost Three months and it can be tragical

In utter difficult times like this,for this poor girl,not having a loving mother who would sacrify everything to save her child ,how can she cure?In this illness to feel deeply loved and sustained is a most important element to her survival.

making stereo types.

i really feel bad for the mother and daughter, but someone, ( maybe a gadol) should explain to the mother what really is important and how precious a life is and if the girl wants it, then let it be!!!

Please no prejudice please. This mother's reponse has nothing to do with Hassidism. Any normal hasidic jew would go forward with the surgery.

Life is so precious, please please lady save this young girl life, it's a crime to let her down. May Hashem help this little angel and her family. Am Israel Hai

i don't know why the term haredi always has to come up in this situation. but , any haredi person will immediately say that the child's life takes precedence over all and all rabbanim would rule for the operation.-yes i am fully haredi if the reader wonders.

You raise an interesting point. The child is thirteen years old, and may or may not be capable of making an informed decision. Has anyone asked her if she wishes the surgery? And should her wishes be taken into account?

I would have no way of knowing the faith path of the mother; Christians and Jews both believe in a G-d who heals. If that were the issue, the correct response from the state would be, "While we understand your faith perspective, the State has a mandate to save the lives of its citizens." But when the mother says her child would be "better off dead" than to live absent a hand, then the state must evaluate whether such a statement is just from a person going through grief severe enough to make a statement that she would never mean in her right mind, or is from a person who really would allow her child to die. My money is on the former; parents go crazy when their children are going through something intolerable. Once the operation is over and the mother has come to her senses, she will be praising HaShem for sparing her daughter's life.

Logically, this should depend on legal adulthood in your country. Before that time, they should not be considered capable of informed consent. Having been a parent, I know that children are easily swayed, especially by their parents. When she views life from the perspective of an adult, she might find her views quite different from those of her parents. That might or might not be when she reaches legal majority, but the line has to be drawn somewhere.

matters.It is a tough decision at all ages. Being confident to have strong support is a must, for the hard survival fight.

This is one of the blessings of living in your country; the Jews are literally a big family, and it sounds like they support each other well.