A WA father barred from interfering with his teenage son’s cancer treatment says he now supports the boy receiving chemotherapy.
The family claims they wanted time to consider their options, but the boy was taken away before they could.
His son is fighting a rare blood cancer, which was only recently diagnosed, but this father says he feels like the teenager was kidnapped after doctors said he needed chemotherapy.
“They said, ‘We’re taking the boy to Perth, we’re flying him right now to hospital’, and we felt very pressurised,” the father claimed in an interview with 9News.
“I said, ‘we need 24 hours just to review our options, there’s a few key people to speak to’.”
The father claimed they did not get that time and police eventually arrived at their home.
“The boy went back in the house because the house was surrounded, and it seemed that they were absolutely going to kidnap him,” the father claimed.
“Every time there’s a a shape move behind us or a red and blue light, we’re all filled with terror.”
The father was handcuffed and his teenager taken to Perth Children’s Hospital for treatment for acute myleoid leukemia.
The Family Court was told it was an emergency and without it, the boy could die within weeks.
But on the weekend, his father cut his chemotherapy line.
“I asked for them to pause until we could then look at alternatives,” the father claimed.
He said he had now changed his mind and “we fully support the hospital”.
“We’re happy to go along with them. Honestly I just need the time to do my own research.
“I do believe that each of us should be able to choose our own healthcare, that should be a human right.”
The boy’s chemo continues here at Perth Children’s Hospital where it’s expected he’ll have to attend for at least the next four to six weeks.
“He’s a real talent and he’s an amazing boy,” the father said.
“If anyone’s going to beat it, he will.”
