I understand why they would want to do this but I can't help but feel for the sibling that is being created to also go through medical procedures that can sometimes really scar a child mentally
Yes. Not to mention - how is this even legal? Not the selecting embryos, but the fact that they would be taking bone marrow from a young child. You have to be at least 17 to donate blood or bone marrow in the UK. How can they possibly have a baby and forcefully take marrow from it when the child will be five years old at most? That's disgustingly cruel. The child has a right to it's body, just like we won't take blood from people who don't want to donate. Heck - even dead bodies need to consent to donating organs! Also, the dad felt guilty because his transplant killed his daughter. Imagine how a 5 year old would feel if they donated to their sibling and that was the result. Imaging how the parents will react when a child they had purely to produce spare parts for their eldest child cannot save the sibling.
Very good point what if the sibling was to get ill at some point in life. Nobody can look into the future of the sibling no matter how much they have tested. I'm not saying that it's fair for a child to die very young because that's far from the truth. It's like someone just picking you up off the street and saying come on we need your kidney for this person. But the stupidity of the parents to have a child knowing that they can pass on a life limiting illness is selfish. They knew the baby had this illness and proceeded to have him they should of been happy with the healthy child they have because look what she's also being put through. There's a bigger picture than what people see and you are meant to protect your child not put them through stuff they don't need
Spare part babies really makes this sound horrible. I feel terribly for little ones born for this purpose. I feel its okay if its a one time thing, but over and over just doesn't seem right. I hope no matter what the baby is wanted and loved, and not just as life support device.
Agreed, I think it's absolutely horrible just to have a baby to harvest spare parts from, you're condemning that child to a life of pain & suffering... absolutely terrible & makes me angry for the baby bred as an organ farm
My child has this exact disease (Fanconi anemia). When she was diagnosed, we considered the option of conceiving a matched sibling for her. In our case, our child was already in severe bone marrow failure at the time of diagnosis, so we did not have time to go through the IVF process and a pregnancy before she needed a transplant. She did not have a perfect match from the registry, either, but a very good partial match was found. I know a number of families who have chosen to pursue IVF with prenatal genetic diagnosis (PGD) to avoid future children having Fanconi anemia (FA) and to provide a match for their FA-affected child. It is obvious to me that these families love these children for themselves, not only because they may donate bone marrow to their siblings in the future. In all the cases I know of, they wanted to have more children simply to expand their families and to have another child to love, in addition to any medical considerations for their FA-affected children. They didn't want their future children to suffer with FA, and the only way to avoid another child with FA is through IVF with PGD. Once they were already doing IVF with PGD, going a step further to choose those embryos who are both unaffected by FA and HLA matches for their affected child was a fairly simple choice. In many cases, the so-called "donor children" born from IVF with PGD don't even need to donate their bone marrow, as they are often able to use the babies' cord blood painlessly collected at the time of birth as the source of the stem cells needed for their sibling's transplant.
I'm not a mother of a child in this situation but I can be honest and get off my high horse to put myself in someone's position for 5 seconds to say how dare anyone judge such a complex situation and say they are wrong... how dare they say that these parents care nothing for the other child when you just look what they were willing to do for their sick child how could u believe that they will love another child less? How can you say these children should just die as opposed to have a sibling who their parents love and who will be healthy because they will have a medical procedure that they likely won't even remember much less suffer from... I can be honest and say that I would likely do the same thing if I had to...
Thanks I thought that the cord blood could possibly be an option. Idk why it wasn't mentioned! I hope both of your children are now healthy and doing well! God bless!
So many genetic diseases can be eradicated if IVF/PGD were used by everyone at risk.Our family has an HD risk and it really irks me that so many at risk don't get tested before having children 😢
It’s a tricky one. You’re manufacturing babies to save an already existing child however that baby will grow up knowing that they were only born to save someone else, they weren’t born because they were simply wanted. It would make a person feel second class and not as loved. And you’ll be putting two children through fear, pain and discomfort through all the procedures not just 1. I personally couldn’t do it.
@@kimpowell991 yes but most babies are wanted for no other purpose but to be wanted. Wanting a baby for the purpose of saving another siblings isn't the same as just being wanted with no strings attached. Can you imagine the burden on a child who is made responsible for saving their sibling? No child should be given such a huge burden
@Kim Powell I was an accident, it's why I'm adopted. I hate that people think you're this second class person or looking at you like you were Little Orphan Annie, it makes me very uncomfortable, since too I was never in the foster care system. People often speak for people other people, when they shouldn't. My mom and I are like twins we love each other so much and have always been best friends, the only difference we have is our taste in food. I'm a lot more adventurous than she is, but she is my spirit twin. ^_^ Though I'm British and I think that makes me a bigger seafood lover. XD
That "manufactured child" is wanted and needed. Many (not all) children who are conceived the old fashion way are aborted, abused, molested, killed, abandoned and neglected.
Dahlia Legacy yea an accident (which most of us are) is not the same as bringing a child into this world to use them for parts. The doctor literally called them “spare part babies”. This is not a discussion of if the child was wanted. They were extremely wanted. They were wanted so they could be of use. Against their will at that. To put it bluntly. There’s no way this type of situation couldn’t wear on a child’s self esteem
Yes Maam, I’m so sorry not only for your loss but I can’t imagine feeling you failed as a child/sibling. You didn’t fail, you are important, and someday you will find your purpose ❤️
What I dont get is after their first child passed, why they would even risk having another with the same issue... If IVF is an option to make sure you have a healthy child, why wouldnt they have done that in the first place?
The son was born whilst the older sister was still alive. Plus they would have been refused IVF funding because of having a healthy child (the middle child)
@@inchshorterthenthequeen9688 they could have had an amniocentesis to diagnose whilst baby was in mums tummy but otherwise there is no other way of know until the baby had arrived
Imagine the stress of knowing you were born to be spare parts. Knowing you can’t stop your parents from taking parts of your own body without consent. Knowing your one purpose in life is to serve your brother and that was your purpose. I hope this kid is ok. There’s a reason there’s an episode like this on law and order. I hope this kid is loved and is allowed to live a normal life. I really pray
You know I had those exact thought initially. But in all honesty, speaking for myself, I’d be honoured to have saved my sibling. I would do anything in the world for my mom, brother or children. I’d gladly give bone marrow to even a stranger. I donate blood on a regular. I am positive they will love the child no matter what! Maybe it’s just me but I’d give my life for my immediate family ❤️
One more thing, if they weren’t loving and doting parents, they wouldn’t go throughout the whole process to start with. When you carry and birth a child you will love them… I was in love and planned for my first, she will be 12 soon. Sadly her father and I didn’t last. 2 years ago I had a brief relationship and fell pregnant. I was not with his father by time I was 3 months. I, throughout the entire pregnancy was wondering how I could love anyone the way I loved my daughter. I almost felt regret and wondering what I got myself into. The second he was born, we bonded and I nursed him. It was love at first sight for the second time. Now he’s 2. Him and my daughter are two years apart and he has been the perfect addition. She’s so motherly with him. He completed us when we didn’t even know we needed him ❤️
What a terrifying situation to be in. It is an ethical conundrum, but who is anyone to judge. They will have to answer to the IVF child later on. Maybe they’ll feel good about it, or maybe they won’t. I can’t imagine what would happen if the sibling didn’t make it. How will that cause the parents to view the “savior” child? Seems like a slippery slope all around. Like look at how this adult father felt about the failed transplant. How ever could a child cope?
@@alexisburrows3171 It definitely is a ethical conundrum because their other child is dying, I think it's harder to let your child wither away then to think of the consent of a hypothetical baby. I would imagine things would change once the baby is born but your mind isn't thinking about a hypothetical baby's "choice" when your real baby is dying.
my sister has a genetic condition. I will get genetic testing before having a child. being knowledgeable about if you have a predisposition to pass on certain diseases or conditions is important.
Exactly what my college professor said if you (our class) any of us have a baby...we should have genetic testing to know what we may face. Deciding not to have a kid or at least being armed with the information.
just imagine you find out the ONLY reason you are here is because your brother/sister was sick. its like "oh the only reason im here is because he/she got sick" i would just feel used and just so bad.
celeste wiess imagine you find out your parents ONLY had you because they didn't use protection and they weren't actually trying to have a child. This baby knows there family NEEDED them and wanted them.
As a Mother myself, with another one on the way - I could not imagine the pain and heartache that comes with making this decision. We are so grateful every day that our son is the epitome of health.
teamdamien Stephan What are you talking about? I’m saying both people get a dna test before trying for a baby so that way you will know the chances of your child getting a genetic disorder. Nazis did wayyy worse
I am full organ donor and am weeks from giving birth, and i would still never consider this The feelings the spare part baby would feel when they grow up to understand that they were only created to give their tissue and blood to their sibling without any consent Not for me
I know you want to save your child... but having a baby to solely harvest marrow (which is very painful & those bone holes never heal) is really sad. That child knows why they were born, what there purpose was, and they have to live with that. I hope more people donate blood, organs, and on marrow donation lists.
@@ddddaaaa7995 exactly, most people don't realize that donating bone marrow is now very similar to donating blood. I'm always telling people this and encouraging them to register as a donor so families don't have to go through this. bethematch.org/support-the-cause/donate-bone-marrow/join-the-marrow-registry/
Noone should be forced, persuaded or asked to donate a part of their body. Noone who does not have informed consent should be able to donate. Children cannot make informed consent. It goes against their bodily autonomy. You can't take blood from someone under the age of 17, even if they are freely willing. Why should you take bone marrow? If you could do that, could you take a kidney out of a child to give to another? Half of their liver? Where does it stop?
@@kateg9437 Again, my children gave blood to their sister, we did it at the blood bank, I signed a release, they banked it for her. We have a rare tissue type and it would have been very difficult to find blood for her if she needed it. We ended up having to use donor blood a couple years later and I am glad we didn't have to the first time. My kids were happy to do it and they would have given a kidney in a moment without a second thought. Taking marrow from a child to save a child is not surgery, you are not taking an organ, your body makes more. We take foreskin from babies every day without their consent, we vaccinate them, put fillings in, take tonsils out, have teeth extracted, put braces on, but you draw the line at bone marrow to save a sibling. It confuses me.
Saint Cloud - I would gladly donate blood, marrow, a kidney or part of my liver to my brothers. However, there I no way I would accept any of those things from my younger brother if I needed them, since he is a child. As for the similarities to made to other procedures, I will respond to each of those in turn. I am fully against male neonatal circumcision unless that it is medically necessary for the specific child. The dangers of unnecessary surgery on infants is horrible, and circumcision should not be done for cultural or religious reasons. Vaccines are done to improve the health of the baby or child receiving them, as are giving fillings. We only remove tonsils if they persistently get infected. We do it to improve the health of the child having the procedure. It is not done for the health of anyone else, or because we want to use the tonsils for someone else. They are removed because they cause suffering in that specific child. The same goes for removing teeth. We do not remove healthy teeth from healthy children because we want to implant them into another child. We remove teeth because they are either decayed or the mouth is overcrowded. Braces are also done to improve dental health. Overcrowded or crooked teeth can be very difficult to clean, and can make it difficult to eat specific foods. Also, if teeth point outwards, they are more at danger of cutting through the lips or cheeks. As such, braces, like all the other comparisons you have made (except for circumcision) are done FOR THE HEALTH OF THE CHILD RECEIVING THEM. That is the crucial difference.
My 2 Cents..... Regardless of ethical or humane debates, one thing still buggs me. What about the irreversible mental impact on the whole family? That child will now forever know they were born to be used for another child to save their life.... that father and mother will have to answer to the hard questions that that child and other children will ask like," if that child was born to be used for spare parts, what does mommy or daddy think of me since I'm not the child who received those spare parts.... do they see me as nothing but spare parts too?" or the child who was born for that reason...."Did mommy or daddy ever want me, or will I ever only be a spare tire child to them?" or the child with the medical condition," mommy and daddy had my sibling to save me, but if something else major comes along, will they view me in a lesser capacity and use me as well down the road?" So many other hypothetical questions as well.... Children are so smart and easily confused, they pick up on more things than you think. Another thing is the fact that you will have to answer to all of this one way or another..... I know I would personally never be OK knowing I choose to have another child to be spare parts for another (umbilical cord or not).... that child didn't choose that life and weather you like it or not they and others in the family will always wonder if you ever loved them completely to some degree. Its a fact.
These stories are heartbreaking which is the exact reason I banked my daughter’s cord blood when she was born 17 years ago. This piece of mind for the “what ifs” is priceless!
@@alexisburrows3171 Parental instincts is what makes a family drain their bank account and go through pain and the possibility of death themselves (yes there is a chance any woman who gets pregnant could die as a result of that pregnancy). They are trying to save the life of a child and in doing that they get two children to love, I don't see how this is selfish.
I agree. Children should not be expected, asked, or even able to donate parts of their body. If you will do this, will you have another child so you can take one of it's kidneys and give it to their sibling? How about half their liver? It's not right. Children cannot make informed consent on these things
@@alexisburrows3171 what's happening in New York is for children that would not survive, are going to be stillborn, would have a low quality of life from an immediately terminal illness, or would kill the mother in the process. Ergo, late-term abortion being an option. Women who are that far along in the process do not want to give up their babies. Don't let the biased articles and rhetoric influence your knowledge of the topic.
Can you imagine being told that your parents let your sibling die because they didn’t want to burden you with something that you would never remember having gifted your brother/sister with in the first place? These parents in most cases want more children anyway or bring a life into the world for love....Ever since technology made it possible it’s been perfectly acceptable to the vast majority to save one child with a sibling. Testing begins within the family unit as it’s the best option for a perfect match. What does it matter if the sibling saving the other was in the world before or after the other became ill? I could think of so many scenarios where unwanted babies are brought into the world good grief people these babies are wanted and this is for love of all involved! I would give a kidney, bone marrow, a piece of my liver (it does grow back in that case) whatever I could possibly spare to save my brother or sister...just don’t ask me to allow them to die to spare me and certainly don’t tell me that I could have possibly saved their life but you take me to visit a grave instead!
I guess it depends if you planned on having another child if your eldest child was healthy. It must be hard for the children conceived for the reason to save their sick child. Edit: I don't agree with Alex's father saying essentially it's the govt's fault if he dies
Sadly in a socialist medicine country the government controls whether you can or cannot get a treatment. If you aren't deemed sick enough, you wait till you get sick enough and hope you don't die in the meantime. Yes they could try and pay for it themselves, but everyone is now so dependent on socialized medicine its hard to live without the government doing some or all of your medical funding. The cons of socialized medicine.....
David and Samantha had another baby naturally who did not carry FA and was a perfect generic match for Alex!! Their round of IVF failed. All worked out in the end and baby Ethan was born.
David and Samantha’s daughter died when she was 11 years old and now the couple face losing their 2 year old son, Alex, who suffers from the same disease.
It isn't spare parts as much as it is building the family you need and want and preserving that. People have children for all kinds of reasons and sometimes no reason at all. As a mother who lost two children to cancer and genetics there is nothing I would not have done to save them if I could. My last child was born from IVF/embryo donation to increase my chances of having a child that would not die (Please don't insert your adoption argument here, or your foster care argument here. I am guessing if you are thinking it you don't know what you are talking about, trust me you don't). As a sibling I would give my blood, my kidney, my marrow, a lung, a part of my liver, my skin to my siblings without thought or questions. Yes I have a choice as an adult but those kids will grow up to be adults and a healthy, mature adult mind will always choose this, it is what makes us human. They are not choosing a child to toss away. This is a child to love and the bonus is it is a child that can save a sibling. This is all win-win.
Saint Cloud as a sibling I’d give anything to save my brother or sisters life IF I HAD THR CHOICE TO! but to be born for that exact reason not being able to have the choice to do whatever is like being enslaved to the needle just because. As a mother to be I would not enslave another child for the life of one.
That is exactly right. You're the minority in the comments but I think, with loving parents, this is also a point that needs to be put against the idea that the kid will grow up resentful. It's all in how much the child born is loved and how they're treated. Not every child is born a choice, sadly... So I think the arguments are one part of the picture, against a heavy moral question, but your perspective is valid and hopeful
It also depends on if this is a one off thing, as is probably the case for David, or if the kid will become the default for donation needs in the future for a kid with a recurring chronic issue. I think parents who love their children so much will treat the new baby with all the love and protection they have for the oldest they're trying to save.
So we're forcefully taking marrow from someone that cant decide if they want to donate or not. No matter how you slice this it's cruel and selfish. This is spare parts.
36:06 As someone who has had 59 brain and spinal cord surgeries with more to come and has had multiple infections from surgery (unfortunately it happens), it really bothers me that his mask is not covering his nose in the operating room which is a sterile environment and is a risk to his patients.
A mask keeps you from coughing and sharing sputum with people it doesn't keep you from getting sick and it doesn't keep germs from spreading it is a precaution. I'm sorry you failed basic PPE
Id personally be ok knowing my purpose in life from the beggining. Some people search for that forever and never find it. Or just being lucky enough to have 2 and while saving a lif early.. Finding an even BIGGER meaning for mine as I grow older
My initial reaction was to be judgmental,but then I realized I'm not in these parents shoes. Who are we to judge. Who knows what we would choose if faced with that decision. It's easy to judge when you arent the one going through it.
Thank you so much. My daughters life was saved twice by donors, my son is here because of donors and I am a donor. It is free, it is easy and it is meaningful.
I’m donating any possible organs & whatever is needed from my body when I die, & currently I’m looking into blood donation❤️ seeing someone say a donor saved their baby’s life is enough motivation😩❤️
The only update I know is that Alex's parents had another son called Ethan (by natural means) who was a perfect match. I presume the transplant took place and was a success.
I would do the same thing if I had to. If it was to save my child's life I would do it. I would give up my life for any child I had if it would cure them and save their lives. I would love every child I had whether it was planned or a surprise pregnancy.
No matter what anyone says I view this as disgusting and wrong....can't change my mind. It's just screwed up, people may say I'm not in the same position but I know exactly what i would do.
Actually you do not. You would be surprised what you would do to save your child's life. I hope you never have to be in that position, it is most painful experience there is.
@Speaking Truth How do you "destroy" one child's life to save another? You assume that a child who is needed and wanted is somehow not really needed and wanted. A bone marrow transfer is not destruction.
@Speaking Truth This documentary is about FA. It requires a bone marrow donation. I think a lot of people were affected by a book written by Jodi Piccult . I think a very small percentage of live organ donors are ever children, I think in 208 it was 870? not sure about that number and most of those were between 11-17 and were not born to donate they just wanted to, I think most kids want to save a sibling if they can.
I know it’s wrong to have the babies for parts but honestly I would do exactly the same if one of my babies was going to die, it wouldn’t stop me from loving the child if anything I’d love it more because of what they did
Sophie I agree a mother who loves their child will do anything to save him/her. And if she loves the first one that im sure sure and hope she loves the next equally
@@suneblommie4549 exactly, it's a terribly painful procedure for the baby. Direct quote from Dr "There is discomfort for the donor, who is anesthetized while Drs poke long needles into hip bones & withdraw tubes of marrow." Absolutely awful to force a baby to go through that
It’s not as if they are having a baby & killing that baby to save another. Why would they want to live with the “what if” feeling when there was clearly something that helped. Some people need to get a grip.
I don’t think anyone has the right to judge until you’re walking in that persons shoes....especially if you can’t look at your own child and imagine facing loosing and not doing everything in your power to save their life.
To truly care about a child has everything to do with intent. Brining a child into the world for the sole purpose of forcing him/her to donate is absolutely selfish and disgusting
Jordan fox .... what’s disgusting? Say you have a family with children... you are told that your precious child will die but a sibling could be a donor and save your baby’s life. Is more disgusting to do nothing because you don’t want to burden your other child and watch that baby die OR save your baby’s life. You can have your opinion of course but I’m guessing that you’re not a mom or dad. Unfortunately parents are given devastating diagnosis every day and have to go the traditional route to try and save their children. These parents are pioneering and taking the abuse for the rest of humanity. It’s just how it’s done. None of these parents are going to have a child SOLEY to save the other child. It’s the reason to create the child In this manner yes, but the child will be loved no matter the outcome. These are clearly exceptional loving parents anyone can see. As a parent it doesn’t matter how your children are created or come into your family. They are each loved and cherished.
You can not blame yourself. You gave her a chance, as a family you did everything you could. If only there were more donations to give families like you a chance. I would do everything to make my child well. You did right to have Alex things could change dramatically. My heart and my prayers are with you.
This is very wrong. I understand how much it hurts too lose a child because I have lost my daughter. I couldn’t imagine having a baby just to keep her here with me tho. It took 4 years for me to accept the fact that she’s gone but you know what she doesn’t have to suffer, had I kept her here using another child then two would be suffering. I feel guilt every day because I couldn’t do anything but I also know my child will never suffer. The fact that they implanted a carrier aswel is the most selfish thing I have ever heard in my life.
Honestly I do think this is completely morally wrong, poor siblings, BUT I don't know if I wouldn't do the same if I was as scared for my child as these parents are :/ (but I still would let them put all the embryos in my womb after the match child is born...) So I understand why the parents did what they did, but even if the donation is for saving a life, nobody has the right to hurt a healthy child and force it to donate whatever part of his body to his sibling :/ this is an area were we really need laws, the state should forbid siblings beeing doners unless they are at least like 8 years old (I knw 8 is still pretty young, but I think 8 year olds can at least understand that it will hurt) and give their "yes"
Actually they should explain the procedure better so people don't freak out about the savior sibling going through awful procedures to save the sick sibling. They use the stem cells from the saviour sibling's umbilical cord for the transplant, so really, there won't be any kind of traumatic procedures for the baby to go through.
I see alot of people complaining about these babies being born “not wanted” or just to “save their sibling” . Most pregnancies aren’t planned in the first place , some plan to keep but most would terminate. But you guys would bash the ones terminating. But these babies are planned, yes they’re there to help save their other child but they’re also there because their parents want them. They’ve stated in this video the child they’re trying for isnt just to save their brother. Idk if what i said makes sense but i tried.
people are crazy and look for reasons to be mad at anything, you can't really explain something to people who dont want to hear it. if the parents chose not to have another baby to save their kids life the same people would be screaming at them that they should have had another child to save their kids life. You can never win lol
Speaking Truth well they are speaking to people filming a documentary about this condition and the whole process. That part could have been edited out or they may not have said it but that doesnt at all mean they dont want the child for who they will be. At 46:46 she says they want a child anyways, and they also saved that embryo that was healthy but not a tissue match
My Sister’s Keeper too. One of my favourite books but it makes me so angry. It’s a lot more impactful than the film, really illustrating what it is like for that child created just to save their sibling.
Making a helpless human in order to use that human's body is wrong, but there's so little respect for the consent and autonomy of children that people basically view them as property until they're old enough to escape. At that point, the damage is usually already done.
Easy for people to criticize when they're not in the situation. Also hard for people to donate their own organs to strangers... If its the way they can save their child I see nothing wrong with it.
It's a difficult subject. It's easy to say it's wrong but I think if I were in their shoes I would do the same. Just because you give birth to a baby with the plan for it to help its sibling does mean it's life is worth less. I think the child wouldn't think that either. Of course it will be a hard life, but at least at the end of the day it will be able to say it saved the life of a loved one.
The parents should be thankful for the time they get to spend with their sick children Who Fights for these children whom are born only to save their siblings lives. Who asks and gets their full Consent these children if they are willing to be Drilled, Scanned etc just to save the other sibling. Baby’s shouldn’t be made just to save their siblings... sorry This Is Wrong
Why do these children need "fighting" for? A bone marrow procedure is not anymore painful than a circumcision, and it serves a much high purpose. You obviously have never lost a child to cancer or any other life threatening illness, I have. These parents are fighting for the life of a child they have and in return they have another child to love.
@@watchgoose actually there are two procedures to extract bone marrow one is a puncture in your femur the other is called harvest apheresis, you don't have to have any anesthesia it is collected from your blood stream, the cells they need are taken out and your blood is replaced, a healthy person regenerates those cells.
I understand how controversial this is and I see both sides points. Here's my point that I haven't seen others make....isn't this child abuse? Subjecting a child through painful procedures that is not for themselves. This could be a lifetime of pain that the child cannot consent to. The psychological impacts of this for both children has to be huge! Idk if they would be good or bad... this is such a difficult concept to place your morals around. I'm not trying to bash on people who have done this or the siblings who grew up through this together. I just want to give a perspective some people may not have thought about.
Surely these parents that could love their current child enough to fight for his/her survival and are willing to fight desperately are more than capable of loving each child and every one of their children individually beyond whatever the outcome may be.
What a fucking horrible situation. No parent should have to watch their child die and none should have to make this incredibly difficult decision. Prayers and love to all families who have to face this horrible situation.
7:09 I would feel very weird about it to be honest. Talk about being a literal third wheel. I wouldn't be surprised if these children (the donors) end up with severe depression and mental issues as adults. Seems like a whole other layer of complexity to the usual family conflicts.
This upsets me so much. It should not be legal at all. They are human babies with own rights and needs. It is so rude to bring someone to the world to just use them like that and harvest organs :/
For those criticizing, imagine your own kids. You would do ANYTHING to save them and the resulting baby isn't just tossed aside, these are still wanted babies and will be raised in loving homes. Breaking it down to "spare parts" trivializes the whole thing. If you're a parent you know you would do the same (I would hope).
Before you think anything about it. Live it first hand. If it's God's will. It will work. I'm a mother and I would do anything to save one of my children. Wouldn't you. If you love the child your trying to save how could you not love the child that saved that child. I pray that they were saved.
I would do anything to save my child if I was in this position. People who say they wouldnt are lying. If the love there child enough to go this extent to make him better I'm sure they are going to love the ivf baby. If i knew I was born to save my brothers life I would be so happy as long as my parents treated me the same and still loved me like my other siblings. If anything they will love the ivf baby more for saving there other child's life.
@Speaking Truth it's my personal opinion and I really see where everyone else is coming from but I'm just saying I would do anything at any expense to save my child's life. It's not as if the sibling would have a bad life and my current living child would have everything and be loved more. I would love them equally. There is nothing I wouldn't do to save my child's life. If i had to end my own life for his/hers I would, I would assure the sibling daily that they are my everything to just like you assure an adopted child that you love them and wanted them. It's a crap situation but if it ment my child's only chance of survival I would do anything
And I forgot to ask why will it be at the expense of the siblings pain suffering and guilt? The baby ain't being born to be abused, beaten like alot of children are in the world.
@Speaking Truth I'm not in a position where I no all the pros and cons to undergoing the procedure and if the second child was to have a painful life ect I would not want that. I'm sure these parents won't let that happen just 2 make the 1st baby well again. Think we have to feel lucky when we have a healthy child. Nice talking 2 u best of luck for the future, hope u and your family live a happy healthy life.
While I understand that parents would want to do everything to save their sick child what happens if, despite the creation of and subsequent donations from a saviour sibling, the sick child still dies. Surely, if the sole purpose of that child’s creation was to save their sibling and it doesn’t work, that could cause a whole load of potential problems: resentment from their previously hopeful parents, the child feeling like they had ‘failed’ in their life’s purpose (because surely the situation would be explained to them as they got older and could understand more about why they have to have medical procedures), etc etc. While I don’t doubt that parents who opt to go down the saviour sibling route love the child they create the dynamic will always be different. It’s such a tricky situation and when a loved one is ill you become desperate and will try anything to save them. However, I think the potential psychological and health implications (some children are born for the purpose of organ transplantation not just bone marrow for example) on that saviour sibling cannot be ignored. They have just as much of a right to life as the sick child. Should one child’s life be compromised just to save another? Should a child who cannot consent be forced into procedures where they don’t fully understand what’s going on? But on the flip side should a child just be allowed to die when there are (albeit long and complicated) ways to treat them? One thing I know for certain is I think more people should sign up to be organ/blood/marrow donors. It’s an ethical minefield and I really don’t know where I stand on the issue. At what point does a child become more of a commodity and not a person?
God definitely blessed me with a heart I don't no Anyone person and yet I cry and cry as if you are part of me I have love and it's the best gift God bless us with °°♡♡♡
I don't know how I feel about this. I have a little boy myself and I would do anything to help him, but on other hand, I dont know how I feel about bringing a child into the world for them to be like "harvested" in a word for their organs, even though it could save another child life and putting them through pain and hospital appointments. It's like in America where they do "designer babies" but on a different scale
As for if it’s ethical or not, clearly an ethics committee has reached the decision it IS ethical, otherwise it would be an illegal procedure in the UK.and I think it’s VERY easy to say “oh I’d never do that”but how many of you saying that have had children of your own? Or have had a close suffer and die like their daughter did?thats pain beyond pain, and MOST people WOULD do the same -would do ANYTHING to lrdo cent their child dying.
Hopefully it's now illegal. A person is not able to donate blood or bone marrow until they are 17. That should cover children under the age of five, as it would be for the children in the documentary. You can't just decide to take part of someone else's body because it may save someone else's life. Heck, we can't even take organs from dead bodies unless the person consented to it. Children, especially babies, cannot give informed consent
Alex was brought here on purpose. His family was given the option to terminate and now that he's here the family is upset with the org for not granting them the money for treatment to take a "chance" to create a child solely for a "cure". They were selfish.
I am heartbroken for parents and the pain they go through. But when the doctor wife had her second cycle and produced one healthy baby but was not match for their son she said 'basically it was a failed cycle'. Makes me sad, very sad. Child still was made... But it the right one....
She really is isn't she, there was something so kind-hearted about her I really felt her pain through my screen. I hope it turned out OK for them all 💕
look, at 32:57, there are pictures of all five family memebers. This makes it even more likely that Alex was diagnosed when his sister was still alive, probably freshly diagnosed herself and they were still believing this could be solved.
The comments here are actually surprising me. I'm very VERY against having a child for the sole purpose of a "parts baby" to go through many unnecessary surgeries and procedures in order to save an older sibling's life. It's wrong to have another child for the sole purpose of saving an existing one. Obviously, that baby cannot consent to the procedure, and that child will always feel like they've never had a choice & they were only wanted for spare parts. HOWEVER, if the newborn child is only needed for ONE procedure (such as the bone marrow transplant), *and* the parents already wanted another child (or were on the fence about it, or were open to it, etc.), I don't necessarily see a problem with speeding up that timing or ensuring the new child is a genetic match. The problem lies here in why the parents want another child, and how much they expect that child to go through.
Actually that child won't have to go through anything (not for this specific treatment) cause they use the stem cells from the saviour sibling's umbilical cord for the transplant in the sick child. So really the drs won't even be touching the healthy child.
I just made a similar comment, then discovered no procedures or surgeries for the donor baby, simply the use of the stem cells from the umbilical cord when born.
I hope the parents donate their blood and/or marrow to help other family's because they now how it feels to have zero match on these lists it's the least they can contribute
Where did the person pick up the idea that in My sisters keeper the child was going to be murdered? That didn’t happen and the child born to help her sister was not born to die.
Babies are conceived for all kinds of selfish reasons; and sometimes their lives are hell. No one interferes on their behalf. IVF donor babies are very much wanted.. and will be well cared for. Not all will have a painful procedure... Adam Nash's cord blood was used to save his sister. And though painful, no one would object to a child having a painful procedure to save its OWN life. We all get over pain. It is how the SITUATION is handled by the parents and professionals. Does the child feel wanted and loved and valued or like spare parts? EVERY baby deserves to feel wanted, loved and valued. Too bad life is not like that.
Katrina Stringer exactly what i was thinking.... i understand she was already pretty far in the pregnancy and of course once you have a baby you wouldn’t change it for the world, but by choosing not to terminate even though the baby had an almost incurable disease, i fear they’ve set him up for a life of suffering, and a short one at that :(
Katrina Stringer My mother was told during her pregnancy that she should abort me. She was high risk, and they told her that I would likely be born without vital organs, such as a brain or heart. Obviously since I’m here writing this, she didn’t agree to the termination, but was instead strongly against it. Now, I was born with all of my vital organs, however I do have a rare degenerative and progressive disease, Mitochondrial Disease. The disease process is quite similar to Muscular Dystrophy in disease process, and like MD, Mitochondrial Disease is eventually terminal. It’s a miracle I’ve lived to the age of 25, as there have been many moments I should have died, but I’m thankful for every day I’m given. My disease is at its later stages, and affects nearly all of my organs and body systems, some near failure, others close to it. The past several years I have mainly been bedridden and rely on my mother as my full time caregiver. I lost the ability to walk nearly seven years ago, so am wheelchair bound, and I also have a feeding tube as well as a portacath in my chest for nutrition and around-the-clock medications. The hospital has always been somewhat of a second home, and I’m no stranger to appointments, procedures, and surgeries. Some may look at my life and classify it as a life of senseless suffering, but that has truly never once been how I view my life, and it actually makes me a bit upset when people do make that assumption. My life may be a bit more challenging than most, and I may go through challenges that most people will never face, but that’s never been my focus or something I dwell on. I feel so thankful everyday that my mother gave me the chance to live and didn’t abort me because the doctor told her to! I am so thankful that I get to experience the beauty of life, even if I’ve lived it a bit differently than most. My life has meaning and purpose, and I’m able to appreciate all of the wonderful things in this life that others living “normal” lives overlook and ignore. There hasn’t been a day that has gone by where I wish my mother had terminated her pregnancy. Everyone goes through their own challenges and their own forms of “suffering”, including those who are healthy. There is no way to shield any child from that, and no parent can predict the future. I would invite you to volunteer in a children’s hospital to see just how much joy and happiness children with significant health challenges are capable of experiencing. Sure, I won’t sugar coat the fact that I have gone through a lot, and I deal with significant pain on a daily basis, but if there is one thing I know to be 100% true, something that I learned very early on in life, it’s that true happiness does NOT depend on your circumstances. That is a lesson that so many children with chronic diseases already know early on solely because of their illness, and that same lesson is something that most healthy individuals don’t learn until well into adulthood. Illness isn’t all bad, it’s just a different way of living. I can understand that it can be easy to see someone like me as someone who is suffering, and it can be easy to think that it would have been better if my mother just terminated the pregnancy to “spare” me from living, but that’s just not the case. Coming from my perspective, as someone who does have an illness and who’s mother was faced with the decision to abort me, I believe that every baby should be given a chance at life. As a Christian, I do believe that God brought me here with a purpose, just like everyone else, knowing that my circumstances bring a different perspective to the world. Life isn’t perfect for anyone, and I don’t believe it should be either. Life is messy and beautiful all at the same time, and we need both sides of the spectrum of life in order to grow. It’s important to remember that the beauty of life can be experienced by everyone, regardless of their circumstances. Everyone has something to offer this world, and all of it is equally important. God bless! 😊💕
Never worry about the income-here in America we have millions of people who have never worked a day getting free medical, housing, food-and millions more living it up on credit cards and taking loans they have no intention of paying back then declaring bankruptcy. I suggest all workers do whatever you want and take whatever you need to: you are entitled.
I wish I could have saved my sisters life. I knew something was wrong and I tried getting her attention but I failed. I would gladly give my life for hers. She has 2 children that now have families of their own. She should be here not me. I’ve got many health problems and she was turning her life around.
This has so many unanswered questions. If the chances are so low of even getting a genetic match to the sick child, is it still worth it? If the child still has a high chance of dying even with this tissue match, is it still worth it? I just think the negatives outweigh the positives.
I want to know what exactly these people are doing with the embryos that don’t match. Are they destroying them? Or giving them for embryo adoption? Or giving them for medical research?
To be quite honest, that's a personal decision for the family & they don't owe it to the public to share that. One of the families mentioned freezing one of the healthy embryos that wasn't a match, so that they could have that child in the future. While I'm curious as well as to what they did with the extra embryos, especially being someone who will be having children through embryo adoption in the future, it's still not really anyone's business outside of the family, unless they choose to share.
I mean two weren’t healthy so perhaps they weren’t even viable, and then there is the remaining healthy one. I think main options are freezing or donating to stem cell research, don’t know how adoption would work exactly in the case of IVF embryos.
María Alonso Trujillo María Alonso Trujillo Most embryos up for embryo adoption are “leftovers” from IVF. Embryos are created in the lab & then any the couple choose not to use right away are frozen. It’s up to the couple to decide whether to donate them to science, have them disposed of, freeze them for personal use, or open them up for embryo adoption, where the “adopters” and the couple will come to an agreement on terms & sign a contract transferring the legal rights to the embryos, & then they’ll be thawed & then essentially be planted in a woman’s uterus the same as any other IVF treatment. It’s really interesting ☺️
but they are basically a few cells...its a chance at a life, but I dont think it qualifies as a baby, we shed more skin cells than that that just become dust
If this topic is controversial and upsets you then please go and register to become a donor. Go to BetheMatch.org and become a bone marrow donor. I registered 5 years ago and am patiently waiting for that phone call to help save a life. We can either be a part of the problem or solution.
If you are able to donate and go through with it then I have a lot of respect for you! I wouldn't be able to do so (because health problems) but even if I could Idk if I would. Maybe if this was a more common practice things like this wouldn't be as needed. Maybe if there was a campaign to get people to donate like for blood it can make a true difference. Imagine someone who feels purposeless findind one in saving someones life through donating.
I can see doing this if you already had plans to expand your family. If you didn't, and are only bringing the child into the world to save the other, than that isn't right.
Watching this programme made me feel really angry that these children were not considered for help. The amount of money we send to countries that abuse the money. We spend billions on countries and yet we can’t treat our own children. I wonder how these so called government would feel if they were in a situation that one of their children was written off as not worth helping. Children are priceless and parents should not have to beg for money to save their child. I’m so sad for all the families who are let down.
I fully support IVF but using it for this reason is just taxing on so many levels . The mother should care for her own health. I mean after seeing the woman endure 4 egg retrievals in this episode alone, I am concerned that her physical and mental health will be on the decline if she repeats these largely unsuccessful treatments . I sincerely hope that a living donor , presumably the one mentioned in this episode may be able to help her son get a second chance at life .
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I understand why they would want to do this but I can't help but feel for the sibling that is being created to also go through medical procedures that can sometimes really scar a child mentally
Yes. Not to mention - how is this even legal? Not the selecting embryos, but the fact that they would be taking bone marrow from a young child. You have to be at least 17 to donate blood or bone marrow in the UK. How can they possibly have a baby and forcefully take marrow from it when the child will be five years old at most? That's disgustingly cruel. The child has a right to it's body, just like we won't take blood from people who don't want to donate. Heck - even dead bodies need to consent to donating organs! Also, the dad felt guilty because his transplant killed his daughter. Imagine how a 5 year old would feel if they donated to their sibling and that was the result. Imaging how the parents will react when a child they had purely to produce spare parts for their eldest child cannot save the sibling.
Very good point what if the sibling was to get ill at some point in life. Nobody can look into the future of the sibling no matter how much they have tested.
I'm not saying that it's fair for a child to die very young because that's far from the truth.
It's like someone just picking you up off the street and saying come on we need your kidney for this person.
But the stupidity of the parents to have a child knowing that they can pass on a life limiting illness is selfish.
They knew the baby had this illness and proceeded to have him they should of been happy with the healthy child they have because look what she's also being put through.
There's a bigger picture than what people see and you are meant to protect your child not put them through stuff they don't need
Kaitlyn Guy the parents consent for both procedures. That’s how they can legally and medically do so. They don’t need a child’s consent.
Fish keepers Battersby become a donor at bethematch.org
@@catieq5270 I would love too but unfortunately I had to receive a blood donation myself which leaves me unable to donate I have already enquired
It's just like the movie my sisters keeper.
That's what I thought.
That’s exactly what I was thinking
What I was thinking.
The book illustrates the issues a lot deeper. I get angry whenever I read it. It’s really good though.
You took the words right out my mouth
Spare part babies really makes this sound horrible. I feel terribly for little ones born for this purpose. I feel its okay if its a one time thing, but over and over just doesn't seem right. I hope no matter what the baby is wanted and loved, and not just as life support device.
How can you not love a child even more if they saved the life of your other baby? Wouldn't you see them as a savior child?
You have children ?
No, but I am adopted so I do know more about real love than fake love.
Agreed, I think it's absolutely horrible just to have a baby to harvest spare parts from, you're condemning that child to a life of pain & suffering... absolutely terrible & makes me angry for the baby bred as an organ farm
I am a bone marrow donor; am I spare parts......If you had a sick kid you would delete this comment.
My child has this exact disease (Fanconi anemia). When she was diagnosed, we considered the option of conceiving a matched sibling for her. In our case, our child was already in severe bone marrow failure at the time of diagnosis, so we did not have time to go through the IVF process and a pregnancy before she needed a transplant. She did not have a perfect match from the registry, either, but a very good partial match was found. I know a number of families who have chosen to pursue IVF with prenatal genetic diagnosis (PGD) to avoid future children having Fanconi anemia (FA) and to provide a match for their FA-affected child. It is obvious to me that these families love these children for themselves, not only because they may donate bone marrow to their siblings in the future. In all the cases I know of, they wanted to have more children simply to expand their families and to have another child to love, in addition to any medical considerations for their FA-affected children. They didn't want their future children to suffer with FA, and the only way to avoid another child with FA is through IVF with PGD. Once they were already doing IVF with PGD, going a step further to choose those embryos who are both unaffected by FA and HLA matches for their affected child was a fairly simple choice. In many cases, the so-called "donor children" born from IVF with PGD don't even need to donate their bone marrow, as they are often able to use the babies' cord blood painlessly collected at the time of birth as the source of the stem cells needed for their sibling's transplant.
Torie L Rothschild amen!!!! Someone who gets me. I’m also a mother of a child who has FA
I'm not a mother of a child in this situation but I can be honest and get off my high horse to put myself in someone's position for 5 seconds to say how dare anyone judge such a complex situation and say they are wrong... how dare they say that these parents care nothing for the other child when you just look what they were willing to do for their sick child how could u believe that they will love another child less? How can you say these children should just die as opposed to have a sibling who their parents love and who will be healthy because they will have a medical procedure that they likely won't even remember much less suffer from... I can be honest and say that I would likely do the same thing if I had to...
Thank you for shedding light and understanding to the situation.
Thanks I thought that the cord blood could possibly be an option. Idk why it wasn't mentioned! I hope both of your children are now healthy and doing well! God bless!
So many genetic diseases can be eradicated if IVF/PGD were used by everyone at risk.Our family has an HD
risk and it really irks me that so many at risk don't get tested before having
children 😢
It’s a tricky one. You’re manufacturing babies to save an already existing child however that baby will grow up knowing that they were only born to save someone else, they weren’t born because they were simply wanted. It would make a person feel second class and not as loved. And you’ll be putting two children through fear, pain and discomfort through all the procedures not just 1. I personally couldn’t do it.
Most babies were accidents that doesn't mean their not loved or wanted
@@kimpowell991 yes but most babies are wanted for no other purpose but to be wanted. Wanting a baby for the purpose of saving another siblings isn't the same as just being wanted with no strings attached. Can you imagine the burden on a child who is made responsible for saving their sibling? No child should be given such a huge burden
@Kim Powell I was an accident, it's why I'm adopted. I hate that people think you're this second class person or looking at you like you were Little Orphan Annie, it makes me very uncomfortable, since too I was never in the foster care system. People often speak for people other people, when they shouldn't. My mom and I are like twins we love each other so much and have always been best friends, the only difference we have is our taste in food. I'm a lot more adventurous than she is, but she is my spirit twin. ^_^ Though I'm British and I think that makes me a bigger seafood lover. XD
That "manufactured child" is wanted and needed. Many (not all) children who are conceived the old fashion way are aborted, abused, molested, killed, abandoned and neglected.
Dahlia Legacy yea an accident (which most of us are) is not the same as bringing a child into this world to use them for parts. The doctor literally called them “spare part babies”. This is not a discussion of if the child was wanted. They were extremely wanted. They were wanted so they could be of use. Against their will at that. To put it bluntly. There’s no way this type of situation couldn’t wear on a child’s self esteem
I was born to save my brothers life. It didnt work i hated my life till years after my brother passed
Thats awful. But you get to help your parents with that void of a child. I guess its not the same as being born because you were wanted just for you x
Yes maam, do you ever feel guilty?
You feel guilty all the time because he knew your sole purpose was to save them and you don't
Yes Maam, I’m so sorry not only for your loss but I can’t imagine feeling you failed as a child/sibling. You didn’t fail, you are important, and someday you will find your purpose ❤️
Im so sorry
What I dont get is after their first child passed, why they would even risk having another with the same issue... If IVF is an option to make sure you have a healthy child, why wouldnt they have done that in the first place?
This is an old documentary (2008) It says at 5:52 that this selective IVF treatment has only been available in the UK since 2006.
The son was born whilst the older sister was still alive. Plus they would have been refused IVF funding because of having a healthy child (the middle child)
Well how would they know that they had than jean.
@@inchshorterthenthequeen9688 they could have had an amniocentesis to diagnose whilst baby was in mums tummy but otherwise there is no other way of know until the baby had arrived
Imagine the stress of knowing you were born to be spare parts. Knowing you can’t stop your parents from taking parts of your own body without consent. Knowing your one purpose in life is to serve your brother and that was your purpose. I hope this kid is ok. There’s a reason there’s an episode like this on law and order. I hope this kid is loved and is allowed to live a normal life. I really pray
You know I had those exact thought initially. But in all honesty, speaking for myself, I’d be honoured to have saved my sibling. I would do anything in the world for my mom, brother or children. I’d gladly give bone marrow to even a stranger. I donate blood on a regular. I am positive they will love the child no matter what! Maybe it’s just me but I’d give my life for my immediate family ❤️
One more thing, if they weren’t loving and doting parents, they wouldn’t go throughout the whole process to start with. When you carry and birth a child you will love them… I was in love and planned for my first, she will be 12 soon. Sadly her father and I didn’t last. 2 years ago I had a brief relationship and fell pregnant. I was not with his father by time I was 3 months. I, throughout the entire pregnancy was wondering how I could love anyone the way I loved my daughter. I almost felt regret and wondering what I got myself into. The second he was born, we bonded and I nursed him. It was love at first sight for the second time. Now he’s 2. Him and my daughter are two years apart and he has been the perfect addition. She’s so motherly with him. He completed us when we didn’t even know we needed him ❤️
@@daynalynnxo So precious. Congrats on your sweet babies.
You can stop it. You get medically emancipated. Children have done it before
Read the book. My sisters keeper. By Jodi Picoult. A fantastic book that covers exactly this topic. It’s also been made into a movie
What a terrifying situation to be in. It is an ethical conundrum, but who is anyone to judge. They will have to answer to the IVF child later on. Maybe they’ll feel good about it, or maybe they won’t. I can’t imagine what would happen if the sibling didn’t make it. How will that cause the parents to view the “savior” child? Seems like a slippery slope all around. Like look at how this adult father felt about the failed transplant. How ever could a child cope?
@@alexisburrows3171 It definitely is a ethical conundrum because their other child is dying, I think it's harder to let your child wither away then to think of the consent of a hypothetical baby. I would imagine things would change once the baby is born but your mind isn't thinking about a hypothetical baby's "choice" when your real baby is dying.
Tina Bean please consider becoming a donor and register at bethematch.org
Catie Q I wish that I was able to. Unfortunately, I do not meet the requirements for donation.
my sister has a genetic condition. I will get genetic testing before having a child. being knowledgeable about if you have a predisposition to pass on certain diseases or conditions is important.
Exactly what my college professor said if you (our class) any of us have a baby...we should have genetic testing to know what we may face. Deciding not to have a kid or at least being armed with the information.
Yeah i mean if you do have one you can be prepared or you can adopt
just imagine you find out the ONLY reason you are here is because your brother/sister was sick. its like "oh the only reason im here is because he/she got sick" i would just feel used and just so bad.
celeste wiess imagine you find out your parents ONLY had you because they didn't use protection and they weren't actually trying to have a child. This baby knows there family NEEDED them and wanted them.
As a Mother myself, with another one on the way - I could not imagine the pain and heartache that comes with making this decision.
We are so grateful every day that our son is the epitome of health.
When you get married or engaged, you both should have genetic testing to see if you are passing something off to your child that could be deadly
Thats what I'm doing.
I did that to be honest.
That's called eugenics and is what Nazis do. But they already test it's called an amnio , so??
teamdamien Stephan What are you talking about? I’m saying both people get a dna test before trying for a baby so that way you will know the chances of your child getting a genetic disorder. Nazis did wayyy worse
In some countries they do this
I saw this and I thought exactly like "My Sister's Keeper"!
I am full organ donor and am weeks from giving birth, and i would still never consider this
The feelings the spare part baby would feel when they grow up to understand that they were only created to give their tissue and blood to their sibling without any consent
Not for me
I know you want to save your child... but having a baby to solely harvest marrow (which is very painful & those bone holes never heal) is really sad. That child knows why they were born, what there purpose was, and they have to live with that. I hope more people donate blood, organs, and on marrow donation lists.
Breona Warren you can donate marrow through simple blood filtering, so child would not have any implications.
The stem cells needed to save Alex's life were harvested from his baby brothers cord blood. No marrow involved.
@@ddddaaaa7995 exactly, most people don't realize that donating bone marrow is now very similar to donating blood.
I'm always telling people this and encouraging them to register as a donor so families don't have to go through this.
bethematch.org/support-the-cause/donate-bone-marrow/join-the-marrow-registry/
Does that mean it worked? How is he? Xx
I hope everyone saying how morally wrong this is has registered to be a bone marrow donor.
I am actually. Are you?
I am not. Having a child to save a child...how is this immoral?
Noone should be forced, persuaded or asked to donate a part of their body. Noone who does not have informed consent should be able to donate. Children cannot make informed consent. It goes against their bodily autonomy. You can't take blood from someone under the age of 17, even if they are freely willing. Why should you take bone marrow? If you could do that, could you take a kidney out of a child to give to another? Half of their liver? Where does it stop?
@@kateg9437 Again, my children gave blood to their sister, we did it at the blood bank, I signed a release, they banked it for her. We have a rare tissue type and it would have been very difficult to find blood for her if she needed it. We ended up having to use donor blood a couple years later and I am glad we didn't have to the first time. My kids were happy to do it and they would have given a kidney in a moment without a second thought. Taking marrow from a child to save a child is not surgery, you are not taking an organ, your body makes more. We take foreskin from babies every day without their consent, we vaccinate them, put fillings in, take tonsils out, have teeth extracted, put braces on, but you draw the line at bone marrow to save a sibling. It confuses me.
Saint Cloud - I would gladly donate blood, marrow, a kidney or part of my liver to my brothers. However, there I no way I would accept any of those things from my younger brother if I needed them, since he is a child. As for the similarities to made to other procedures, I will respond to each of those in turn. I am fully against male neonatal circumcision unless that it is medically necessary for the specific child. The dangers of unnecessary surgery on infants is horrible, and circumcision should not be done for cultural or religious reasons. Vaccines are done to improve the health of the baby or child receiving them, as are giving fillings. We only remove tonsils if they persistently get infected. We do it to improve the health of the child having the procedure. It is not done for the health of anyone else, or because we want to use the tonsils for someone else. They are removed because they cause suffering in that specific child. The same goes for removing teeth. We do not remove healthy teeth from healthy children because we want to implant them into another child. We remove teeth because they are either decayed or the mouth is overcrowded. Braces are also done to improve dental health. Overcrowded or crooked teeth can be very difficult to clean, and can make it difficult to eat specific foods. Also, if teeth point outwards, they are more at danger of cutting through the lips or cheeks. As such, braces, like all the other comparisons you have made (except for circumcision) are done FOR THE HEALTH OF THE CHILD RECEIVING THEM. That is the crucial difference.
My 2 Cents..... Regardless of ethical or humane debates, one thing still buggs me. What about the irreversible mental impact on the whole family?
That child will now forever know they were born to be used for another child to save their life.... that father and mother will have to answer to the hard questions that that child and other children will ask like," if that child was born to be used for spare parts, what does mommy or daddy think of me since I'm not the child who received those spare parts.... do they see me as nothing but spare parts too?"
or the child who was born for that reason...."Did mommy or daddy ever want me, or will I ever only be a spare tire child to them?"
or the child with the medical condition," mommy and daddy had my sibling to save me, but if something else major comes along, will they view me in a lesser capacity and use me as well down the road?"
So many other hypothetical questions as well.... Children are so smart and easily confused, they pick up on more things than you think.
Another thing is the fact that you will have to answer to all of this one way or another..... I know I would personally never be OK knowing I choose to have another child to be spare parts for another (umbilical cord or not).... that child didn't choose that life and weather you like it or not they and others in the family will always wonder if you ever loved them completely to some degree. Its a fact.
These stories are heartbreaking which is the exact reason I banked my daughter’s cord blood when she was born 17 years ago. This piece of mind for the “what ifs” is priceless!
real talk this should be illegal what about the medical autonomy for these babies.
@@alexisburrows3171 Parental instincts is what makes a family drain their bank account and go through pain and the possibility of death themselves (yes there is a chance any woman who gets pregnant could die as a result of that pregnancy). They are trying to save the life of a child and in doing that they get two children to love, I don't see how this is selfish.
I agree. Children should not be expected, asked, or even able to donate parts of their body. If you will do this, will you have another child so you can take one of it's kidneys and give it to their sibling? How about half their liver? It's not right. Children cannot make informed consent on these things
@@alexisburrows3171 what's happening in New York is for children that would not survive, are going to be stillborn, would have a low quality of life from an immediately terminal illness, or would kill the mother in the process. Ergo, late-term abortion being an option. Women who are that far along in the process do not want to give up their babies. Don't let the biased articles and rhetoric influence your knowledge of the topic.
Can you imagine being told that your parents let your sibling die because they didn’t want to burden you with something that you would never remember having gifted your brother/sister with in the first place? These parents in most cases want more children anyway or bring a life into the world for love....Ever since technology made it possible it’s been perfectly acceptable to the vast majority to save one child with a sibling. Testing begins within the family unit as it’s the best option for a perfect match. What does it matter if the sibling saving the other was in the world before or after the other became ill? I could think of so many scenarios where unwanted babies are brought into the world good grief people these babies are wanted and this is for love of all involved! I would give a kidney, bone marrow, a piece of my liver (it does grow back in that case) whatever I could possibly spare to save my brother or sister...just don’t ask me to allow them to die to spare me and certainly don’t tell me that I could have possibly saved their life but you take me to visit a grave instead!
@@MAjYQSammi but that's not what the wording of the statute is.
I guess it depends if you planned on having another child if your eldest child was healthy. It must be hard for the children conceived for the reason to save their sick child.
Edit: I don't agree with Alex's father saying essentially it's the govt's fault if he dies
Sadly in a socialist medicine country the government controls whether you can or cannot get a treatment. If you aren't deemed sick enough, you wait till you get sick enough and hope you don't die in the meantime. Yes they could try and pay for it themselves, but everyone is now so dependent on socialized medicine its hard to live without the government doing some or all of your medical funding. The cons of socialized medicine.....
That was 10 years ago I wonder what happened to them now?
I really want to know as well, couldn't find anything on google
David and Samantha had another baby naturally who did not carry FA and was a perfect generic match for Alex!! Their round of IVF failed. All worked out in the end and baby Ethan was born.
kiera howes that’s amazing! Thank you for sharing!
I NEED to know what happened!
David and Samantha’s daughter died when she was 11 years old and now the couple face losing their 2 year old son, Alex, who suffers from the same disease.
It isn't spare parts as much as it is building the family you need and want and preserving that. People have children for all kinds of reasons and sometimes no reason at all. As a mother who lost two children to cancer and genetics there is nothing I would not have done to save them if I could. My last child was born from IVF/embryo donation to increase my chances of having a child that would not die (Please don't insert your adoption argument here, or your foster care argument here. I am guessing if you are thinking it you don't know what you are talking about, trust me you don't).
As a sibling I would give my blood, my kidney, my marrow, a lung, a part of my liver, my skin to my siblings without thought or questions. Yes I have a choice as an adult but those kids will grow up to be adults and a healthy, mature adult mind will always choose this, it is what makes us human.
They are not choosing a child to toss away. This is a child to love and the bonus is it is a child that can save a sibling.
This is all win-win.
Saint Cloud as a sibling I’d give anything to save my brother or sisters life IF I HAD THR CHOICE TO! but to be born for that exact reason not being able to have the choice to do whatever is like being enslaved to the needle just because. As a mother to be I would not enslave another child for the life of one.
That is exactly right. You're the minority in the comments but I think, with loving parents, this is also a point that needs to be put against the idea that the kid will grow up resentful. It's all in how much the child born is loved and how they're treated. Not every child is born a choice, sadly... So I think the arguments are one part of the picture, against a heavy moral question, but your perspective is valid and hopeful
It also depends on if this is a one off thing, as is probably the case for David, or if the kid will become the default for donation needs in the future for a kid with a recurring chronic issue. I think parents who love their children so much will treat the new baby with all the love and protection they have for the oldest they're trying to save.
So we're forcefully taking marrow from someone that cant decide if they want to donate or not. No matter how you slice this it's cruel and selfish. This is spare parts.
I agree.
36:06 As someone who has had 59 brain and spinal cord surgeries with more to come and has had multiple infections from surgery (unfortunately it happens), it really bothers me that his mask is not covering his nose in the operating room which is a sterile environment and is a risk to his patients.
As an OT nurse it really bothered me too. They know better than to do that.
A mask keeps you from coughing and sharing sputum with people it doesn't keep you from getting sick and it doesn't keep germs from spreading it is a precaution. I'm sorry you failed basic PPE
Id personally be ok knowing my purpose in life from the beggining. Some people search for that forever and never find it. Or just being lucky enough to have 2 and while saving a lif early.. Finding an even BIGGER meaning for mine as I grow older
My initial reaction was to be judgmental,but then I realized I'm not in these parents shoes. Who are we to judge. Who knows what we would choose if faced with that decision. It's easy to judge when you arent the one going through it.
Okay I'm going to register to become a donor
💞💞💞💞
Thank you so much. My daughters life was saved twice by donors, my son is here because of donors and I am a donor. It is free, it is easy and it is meaningful.
I’m donating any possible organs & whatever is needed from my body when I die, & currently I’m looking into blood donation❤️ seeing someone say a donor saved their baby’s life is enough motivation😩❤️
Katie C I agree so much!!!!!😀🌻🌼 best wishes to u!!!
Brid Mcgrath ❤️❤️❤️❤️
This is a 2010 documentary, anyone have any updates??
The only update I know is that Alex's parents had another son called Ethan (by natural means) who was a perfect match. I presume the transplant took place and was a success.
I would do the same thing if I had to. If it was to save my child's life I would do it. I would give up my life for any child I had if it would cure them and save their lives. I would love every child I had whether it was planned or a surprise pregnancy.
after that no update? this was 8-9 years ago would like to know how alĺ turned out
Jess died
@@breonawarren1507 oh he died?
No matter what anyone says I view this as disgusting and wrong....can't change my mind. It's just screwed up, people may say I'm not in the same position but I know exactly what i would do.
Actually you do not. You would be surprised what you would do to save your child's life. I hope you never have to be in that position, it is most painful experience there is.
@Speaking Truth How do you "destroy" one child's life to save another? You assume that a child who is needed and wanted is somehow not really needed and wanted. A bone marrow transfer is not destruction.
@Speaking Truth This documentary is about FA. It requires a bone marrow donation. I think a lot of people were affected by a book written by Jodi Piccult . I think a very small percentage of live organ donors are ever children, I think in 208 it was 870? not sure about that number and most of those were between 11-17 and were not born to donate they just wanted to, I think most kids want to save a sibling if they can.
These parents need to be used for human testing.....
I know it’s wrong to have the babies for parts but honestly I would do exactly the same if one of my babies was going to die, it wouldn’t stop me from loving the child if anything I’d love it more because of what they did
Sophie I agree a mother who loves their child will do anything to save him/her. And if she loves the first one that im sure sure and hope she loves the next equally
They're not going to take any parts from the IVF baby, they use the stem cells from the saviour sibling's umbilical cord for the transplant.
@@lydiazimmerman4328 no they take bone marrow... A very painful procedure
@@suneblommie4549 exactly, it's a terribly painful procedure for the baby. Direct quote from Dr "There is discomfort for the donor, who is anesthetized while Drs poke long needles into hip bones & withdraw tubes of marrow." Absolutely awful to force a baby to go through that
@@suneblommie4549 These days cord blood transplants instead of bone marrow transplants are a thing. Look it up.
This is really heartbreaking that embryos are being destroyed for the “perfect one” The one perfect baby who will save their sibling😭😭😭
It’s not as if they are having a baby & killing that baby to save another. Why would they want to live with the “what if” feeling when there was clearly something that helped. Some people need to get a grip.
If I was told I was born just to save a sibling I would NOT be happy!!
@Speaking Truth They take the stem cells from the umbilical cord. It's a procedure that doesn't hurt the sibling in anyway.
Aww I hope that things worked out for you all. Alison has gone through so much with that treatment. God Bless you all. X
I don’t think anyone has the right to judge until you’re walking in that persons shoes....especially if you can’t look at your own child and imagine facing loosing and not doing everything in your power to save their life.
To truly care about a child has everything to do with intent. Brining a child into the world for the sole purpose of forcing him/her to donate is absolutely selfish and disgusting
Jordan fox .... what’s disgusting? Say you have a family with children... you are told that your precious child will die but a sibling could be a donor and save your baby’s life. Is more disgusting to do nothing because you don’t want to burden your other child and watch that baby die OR save your baby’s life. You can have your opinion of course but I’m guessing that you’re not a mom or dad. Unfortunately parents are given devastating diagnosis every day and have to go the traditional route to try and save their children. These parents are pioneering and taking the abuse for the rest of humanity. It’s just how it’s done. None of these parents are going to have a child SOLEY to save the other child. It’s the reason to create the child In this manner yes, but the child will be loved no matter the outcome. These are clearly exceptional loving parents anyone can see. As a parent it doesn’t matter how your children are created or come into your family. They are each loved and cherished.
Not true
Does anyone know how the families are doing today?
Would love to know too. Believe the Dr and his wife had a birth naturally who happened to be healthy and a perfect tissue match.
The amount of ads in this video is sickening...
With all videos on TH-cam, to bypass the ads, move the bar at the bottom of the screen to the end of the video, hit replay, no more ads.
Why haven't you downloaded adblock plus like almost everyone else in the world? I haven't seen a youtube ad in years!
Ad views are how the creators make money though so I don't mind them that much but anymore than 5 in a video is a pain in the ass
You can not blame yourself. You gave her a chance, as a family you did everything you could. If only there were more donations to give families like you a chance. I would do everything to make my child well. You did right to have Alex things could change dramatically. My heart and my prayers are with you.
I had fertility treatment which failed. I was emotionally devastating. Doing this for a saviour sibling would blow my mind
This is very wrong. I understand how much it hurts too lose a child because I have lost my daughter. I couldn’t imagine having a baby just to keep her here with me tho. It took 4 years for me to accept the fact that she’s gone but you know what she doesn’t have to suffer, had I kept her here using another child then two would be suffering. I feel guilt every day because I couldn’t do anything but I also know my child will never suffer. The fact that they implanted a carrier aswel is the most selfish thing I have ever heard in my life.
Honestly I do think this is completely morally wrong, poor siblings, BUT I don't know if I wouldn't do the same if I was as scared for my child as these parents are :/ (but I still would let them put all the embryos in my womb after the match child is born...)
So I understand why the parents did what they did, but even if the donation is for saving a life, nobody has the right to hurt a healthy child and force it to donate whatever part of his body to his sibling :/
this is an area were we really need laws, the state should forbid siblings beeing doners unless they are at least like 8 years old (I knw 8 is still pretty young, but I think 8 year olds can at least understand that it will hurt) and give their "yes"
Actually they should explain the procedure better so people don't freak out about the savior sibling going through awful procedures to save the sick sibling. They use the stem cells from the saviour sibling's umbilical cord for the transplant, so really, there won't be any kind of traumatic procedures for the baby to go through.
Miss Blueberry by the time the child turns 8 years old the sibling may be dead.
I see alot of people complaining about these babies being born “not wanted” or just to “save their sibling” .
Most pregnancies aren’t planned in the first place , some plan to keep but most would terminate.
But you guys would bash the ones terminating.
But these babies are planned, yes they’re there to help save their other child but they’re also there because their parents want them.
They’ve stated in this video the child they’re trying for isnt just to save their brother.
Idk if what i said makes sense but i tried.
people are crazy and look for reasons to be mad at anything, you can't really explain something to people who dont want to hear it.
if the parents chose not to have another baby to save their kids life the same people would be screaming at them that they should have had another child to save their kids life. You can never win lol
Yikes you're crazy , crazy
Speaking Truth well they are speaking to people filming a documentary about this condition and the whole process. That part could have been edited out or they may not have said it but that doesnt at all mean they dont want the child for who they will be. At 46:46 she says they want a child anyways, and they also saved that embryo that was healthy but not a tissue match
1st surgery 9:52, 1st transfer 15:58, 2nd surgery 28:11, 3rd surgery 38:11
Did anyone else read unwind in school? This reminds me of that book.
My Sister’s Keeper too. One of my favourite books but it makes me so angry. It’s a lot more impactful than the film, really illustrating what it is like for that child created just to save their sibling.
Making a helpless human in order to use that human's body is wrong, but there's so little respect for the consent and autonomy of children that people basically view them as property until they're old enough to escape. At that point, the damage is usually already done.
Easy for people to criticize when they're not in the situation. Also hard for people to donate their own organs to strangers... If its the way they can save their child I see nothing wrong with it.
It's a difficult subject. It's easy to say it's wrong but I think if I were in their shoes I would do the same. Just because you give birth to a baby with the plan for it to help its sibling does mean it's life is worth less. I think the child wouldn't think that either. Of course it will be a hard life, but at least at the end of the day it will be able to say it saved the life of a loved one.
There's a point where its time to say thats enough. And this is a prime example of that
The parents should be thankful for the time they get to spend with their sick children
Who Fights for these children whom are born only to save their siblings lives.
Who asks and gets their full Consent these children if they are willing to be Drilled, Scanned etc just to save the other sibling.
Baby’s shouldn’t be made just to save their siblings... sorry
This Is Wrong
Why do these children need "fighting" for? A bone marrow procedure is not anymore painful than a circumcision, and it serves a much high purpose.
You obviously have never lost a child to cancer or any other life threatening illness, I have. These parents are fighting for the life of a child they have and in return they have another child to love.
I’m so sorry for the loss of your precious child. You’re family is in my thoughts and prayers.
@@alexisburrows3171 They are not disposing of babies, just adding another child to their family.
@@gabriellsbaby they have to use general anaesthesia it is so painful. afterwards, the kid has bone pain, nausea, headaches, etc.
@@watchgoose actually there are two procedures to extract bone marrow one is a puncture in your femur the other is called
harvest apheresis, you don't have to have any anesthesia it is collected from your blood stream, the cells they need are taken out and your blood is replaced, a healthy person regenerates those cells.
The first family's house is so lovely
Poor woman was all flushed and worn out at the end. God bless these families with children and all others that are struggling.
I understand how controversial this is and I see both sides points. Here's my point that I haven't seen others make....isn't this child abuse? Subjecting a child through painful procedures that is not for themselves. This could be a lifetime of pain that the child cannot consent to. The psychological impacts of this for both children has to be huge! Idk if they would be good or bad... this is such a difficult concept to place your morals around. I'm not trying to bash on people who have done this or the siblings who grew up through this together. I just want to give a perspective some people may not have thought about.
Surely these parents that could love their current child enough to fight for his/her survival and are willing to fight desperately are more than capable of loving each child and every one of their children individually beyond whatever the outcome may be.
Proudmama 4boyz I completely agree with you
What a fucking horrible situation. No parent should have to watch their child die and none should have to make this incredibly difficult decision. Prayers and love to all families who have to face this horrible situation.
Bone marrow transplant aren't always successful... My friend had it but now shes worse than before.... 😞
7:09 I would feel very weird about it to be honest. Talk about being a literal third wheel. I wouldn't be surprised if these children (the donors) end up with severe depression and mental issues as adults. Seems like a whole other layer of complexity to the usual family conflicts.
Does anyone know what happened to the two families following this documentary?
This upsets me so much. It should not be legal at all. They are human babies with own rights and needs. It is so rude to bring someone to the world to just use them like that and harvest organs :/
Rude???
For those criticizing, imagine your own kids. You would do ANYTHING to save them and the resulting baby isn't just tossed aside, these are still wanted babies and will be raised in loving homes. Breaking it down to "spare parts" trivializes the whole thing. If you're a parent you know you would do the same (I would hope).
EXACTLY!!!!!!!!
Before you think anything about it. Live it first hand. If it's God's will. It will work. I'm a mother and I would do anything to save one of my children. Wouldn't you. If you love the child your trying to save how could you not love the child that saved that child. I pray that they were saved.
Wow... some people need to read My Sister’s Keeper. This is so messed up.
“Having a baby to Save their child” like the baby they are “hoping” for is some how not their child also...
I would do anything to save my child if I was in this position. People who say they wouldnt are lying. If the love there child enough to go this extent to make him better I'm sure they are going to love the ivf baby. If i knew I was born to save my brothers life I would be so happy as long as my parents treated me the same and still loved me like my other siblings. If anything they will love the ivf baby more for saving there other child's life.
@Speaking Truth it's my personal opinion and I really see where everyone else is coming from but I'm just saying I would do anything at any expense to save my child's life. It's not as if the sibling would have a bad life and my current living child would have everything and be loved more. I would love them equally. There is nothing I wouldn't do to save my child's life. If i had to end my own life for his/hers I would, I would assure the sibling daily that they are my everything to just like you assure an adopted child that you love them and wanted them. It's a crap situation but if it ment my child's only chance of survival I would do anything
And I forgot to ask why will it be at the expense of the siblings pain suffering and guilt? The baby ain't being born to be abused, beaten like alot of children are in the world.
@Speaking Truth I'm not in a position where I no all the pros and cons to undergoing the procedure and if the second child was to have a painful life ect I would not want that. I'm sure these parents won't let that happen just 2 make the 1st baby well again. Think we have to feel lucky when we have a healthy child. Nice talking 2 u best of luck for the future, hope u and your family live a happy healthy life.
While I understand that parents would want to do everything to save their sick child what happens if, despite the creation of and subsequent donations from a saviour sibling, the sick child still dies. Surely, if the sole purpose of that child’s creation was to save their sibling and it doesn’t work, that could cause a whole load of potential problems: resentment from their previously hopeful parents, the child feeling like they had ‘failed’ in their life’s purpose (because surely the situation would be explained to them as they got older and could understand more about why they have to have medical procedures), etc etc. While I don’t doubt that parents who opt to go down the saviour sibling route love the child they create the dynamic will always be different. It’s such a tricky situation and when a loved one is ill you become desperate and will try anything to save them. However, I think the potential psychological and health implications (some children are born for the purpose of organ transplantation not just bone marrow for example) on that saviour sibling cannot be ignored. They have just as much of a right to life as the sick child. Should one child’s life be compromised just to save another? Should a child who cannot consent be forced into procedures where they don’t fully understand what’s going on? But on the flip side should a child just be allowed to die when there are (albeit long and complicated) ways to treat them? One thing I know for certain is I think more people should sign up to be organ/blood/marrow donors. It’s an ethical minefield and I really don’t know where I stand on the issue. At what point does a child become more of a commodity and not a person?
God definitely blessed me with a heart I don't no Anyone person and yet I cry and cry as if you are part of me I have love and it's the best gift God bless us with °°♡♡♡
I don't know how I feel about this. I have a little boy myself and I would do anything to help him, but on other hand, I dont know how I feel about bringing a child into the world for them to be like "harvested" in a word for their organs, even though it could save another child life and putting them through pain and hospital appointments. It's like in America where they do "designer babies" but on a different scale
As for if it’s ethical or not, clearly an ethics committee has reached the decision it IS ethical, otherwise it would be an illegal procedure in the UK.and I think it’s VERY easy to say “oh I’d never do that”but how many of you saying that have had children of your own? Or have had a close suffer and die like their daughter did?thats pain beyond pain, and MOST people WOULD do the same -would do ANYTHING to lrdo cent their child dying.
Hopefully it's now illegal. A person is not able to donate blood or bone marrow until they are 17. That should cover children under the age of five, as it would be for the children in the documentary. You can't just decide to take part of someone else's body because it may save someone else's life. Heck, we can't even take organs from dead bodies unless the person consented to it. Children, especially babies, cannot give informed consent
Alex was brought here on purpose. His family was given the option to terminate and now that he's here the family is upset with the org for not granting them the money for treatment to take a "chance" to create a child solely for a "cure". They were selfish.
"ethics committee"
I am heartbroken for parents and the pain they go through. But when the doctor wife had her second cycle and produced one healthy baby but was not match for their son she said 'basically it was a failed cycle'. Makes me sad, very sad. Child still was made... But it the right one....
Davids mother is a beautiful soul. So warm and pure, just wanting the best for her family. I hope to be a mom like her someday
She really is isn't she, there was something so kind-hearted about her I really felt her pain through my screen. I hope it turned out OK for them all 💕
Why would they have another kid (Alex) knowing the baby could have the disease too?! Very selfish. Now they have to go through loss again.
Maybe she was pregnant already when the sister was diagnosed? She was diagnosed at 9 years old, the mother might have already been pregnant?
look, at 32:57, there are pictures of all five family memebers. This makes it even more likely that Alex was diagnosed when his sister was still alive, probably freshly diagnosed herself and they were still believing this could be solved.
They DID know. They confirmed it in screenings and were offered the chance to abort but didn’t.
True, in the fifth month and when the sister was still alive and quite well with hopes of her being cured.
What was the original air date of this program?
The comments here are actually surprising me. I'm very VERY against having a child for the sole purpose of a "parts baby" to go through many unnecessary surgeries and procedures in order to save an older sibling's life. It's wrong to have another child for the sole purpose of saving an existing one. Obviously, that baby cannot consent to the procedure, and that child will always feel like they've never had a choice & they were only wanted for spare parts. HOWEVER, if the newborn child is only needed for ONE procedure (such as the bone marrow transplant), *and* the parents already wanted another child (or were on the fence about it, or were open to it, etc.), I don't necessarily see a problem with speeding up that timing or ensuring the new child is a genetic match. The problem lies here in why the parents want another child, and how much they expect that child to go through.
Actually that child won't have to go through anything (not for this specific treatment) cause they use the stem cells from the saviour sibling's umbilical cord for the transplant in the sick child. So really the drs won't even be touching the healthy child.
Lydia Zimmerman if you were a sibling that was only born to save your sibling, how would you feel?
I just made a similar comment, then discovered no procedures or surgeries for the donor baby, simply the use of the stem cells from the umbilical cord when born.
That piano piece at the end was really beautiful
I hope the parents donate their blood and/or marrow to help other family's because they now how it feels to have zero match on these lists it's the least they can contribute
Where did the person pick up the idea that in My sisters keeper the child was going to be murdered? That didn’t happen and the child born to help her sister was not born to die.
Babies are conceived for all kinds of selfish reasons; and sometimes their lives are hell. No one interferes on their behalf. IVF donor babies are very much wanted.. and will be well cared for. Not all will have a painful procedure... Adam Nash's cord blood was used to save his sister. And though painful, no one would object to a child having a painful procedure to save its OWN life. We all get over pain. It is how the SITUATION is handled by the parents and professionals. Does the child feel wanted and loved and valued or like spare parts? EVERY baby deserves to feel wanted, loved and valued. Too bad life is not like that.
is there an update?
One of them found out at the baby scan, why would you knowingly have the kid and put it through all that suffering?
Katrina Stringer exactly what i was thinking.... i understand she was already pretty far in the pregnancy and of course once you have a baby you wouldn’t change it for the world, but by choosing not to terminate even though the baby had an almost incurable disease, i fear they’ve set him up for a life of suffering, and a short one at that :(
cleo a. andersen even if they knew before it was born, it is NEVER right to murder an innocent baby!
I get her reason for not aborting but all your doing is putting the spare parts child through hell
Because late term abortions are MURDER
Katrina Stringer My mother was told during her pregnancy that she should abort me. She was high risk, and they told her that I would likely be born without vital organs, such as a brain or heart. Obviously since I’m here writing this, she didn’t agree to the termination, but was instead strongly against it. Now, I was born with all of my vital organs, however I do have a rare degenerative and progressive disease, Mitochondrial Disease. The disease process is quite similar to Muscular Dystrophy in disease process, and like MD, Mitochondrial Disease is eventually terminal. It’s a miracle I’ve lived to the age of 25, as there have been many moments I should have died, but I’m thankful for every day I’m given. My disease is at its later stages, and affects nearly all of my organs and body systems, some near failure, others close to it. The past several years I have mainly been bedridden and rely on my mother as my full time caregiver. I lost the ability to walk nearly seven years ago, so am wheelchair bound, and I also have a feeding tube as well as a portacath in my chest for nutrition and around-the-clock medications. The hospital has always been somewhat of a second home, and I’m no stranger to appointments, procedures, and surgeries. Some may look at my life and classify it as a life of senseless suffering, but that has truly never once been how I view my life, and it actually makes me a bit upset when people do make that assumption. My life may be a bit more challenging than most, and I may go through challenges that most people will never face, but that’s never been my focus or something I dwell on. I feel so thankful everyday that my mother gave me the chance to live and didn’t abort me because the doctor told her to! I am so thankful that I get to experience the beauty of life, even if I’ve lived it a bit differently than most. My life has meaning and purpose, and I’m able to appreciate all of the wonderful things in this life that others living “normal” lives overlook and ignore. There hasn’t been a day that has gone by where I wish my mother had terminated her pregnancy. Everyone goes through their own challenges and their own forms of “suffering”, including those who are healthy. There is no way to shield any child from that, and no parent can predict the future. I would invite you to volunteer in a children’s hospital to see just how much joy and happiness children with significant health challenges are capable of experiencing. Sure, I won’t sugar coat the fact that I have gone through a lot, and I deal with significant pain on a daily basis, but if there is one thing I know to be 100% true, something that I learned very early on in life, it’s that true happiness does NOT depend on your circumstances. That is a lesson that so many children with chronic diseases already know early on solely because of their illness, and that same lesson is something that most healthy individuals don’t learn until well into adulthood. Illness isn’t all bad, it’s just a different way of living. I can understand that it can be easy to see someone like me as someone who is suffering, and it can be easy to think that it would have been better if my mother just terminated the pregnancy to “spare” me from living, but that’s just not the case. Coming from my perspective, as someone who does have an illness and who’s mother was faced with the decision to abort me, I believe that every baby should be given a chance at life. As a Christian, I do believe that God brought me here with a purpose, just like everyone else, knowing that my circumstances bring a different perspective to the world. Life isn’t perfect for anyone, and I don’t believe it should be either. Life is messy and beautiful all at the same time, and we need both sides of the spectrum of life in order to grow. It’s important to remember that the beauty of life can be experienced by everyone, regardless of their circumstances. Everyone has something to offer this world, and all of it is equally important. God bless! 😊💕
Never worry about the income-here in America we have millions of people who have never worked a day getting free medical, housing, food-and millions more living it up on credit cards and taking loans they have no intention of paying back then declaring bankruptcy. I suggest all workers do whatever you want and take whatever you need to: you are entitled.
As a mother I am so conflicted. 😭😭😭😭😭😭💗💗Jess💗💗
It's not easy to judge those parents who give birth to another baby to save one. It's simple you do everything to save your child.
I wish I could have saved my sisters life. I knew something was wrong and I tried getting her attention but I failed. I would gladly give my life for hers. She has 2 children that now have families of their own. She should be here not me. I’ve got many health problems and she was turning her life around.
This has so many unanswered questions. If the chances are so low of even getting a genetic match to the sick child, is it still worth it? If the child still has a high chance of dying even with this tissue match, is it still worth it? I just think the negatives outweigh the positives.
I want to know what exactly these people are doing with the embryos that don’t match. Are they destroying them? Or giving them for embryo adoption? Or giving them for medical research?
To be quite honest, that's a personal decision for the family & they don't owe it to the public to share that. One of the families mentioned freezing one of the healthy embryos that wasn't a match, so that they could have that child in the future. While I'm curious as well as to what they did with the extra embryos, especially being someone who will be having children through embryo adoption in the future, it's still not really anyone's business outside of the family, unless they choose to share.
I mean two weren’t healthy so perhaps they weren’t even viable, and then there is the remaining healthy one. I think main options are freezing or donating to stem cell research, don’t know how adoption would work exactly in the case of IVF embryos.
María Alonso Trujillo María Alonso Trujillo Most embryos up for embryo adoption are “leftovers” from IVF. Embryos are created in the lab & then any the couple choose not to use right away are frozen. It’s up to the couple to decide whether to donate them to science, have them disposed of, freeze them for personal use, or open them up for embryo adoption, where the “adopters” and the couple will come to an agreement on terms & sign a contract transferring the legal rights to the embryos, & then they’ll be thawed & then essentially be planted in a woman’s uterus the same as any other IVF treatment. It’s really interesting ☺️
I see, thank you for explaining ^^ it really is interesting
but they are basically a few cells...its a chance at a life, but I dont think it qualifies as a baby, we shed more skin cells than that that just become dust
If this topic is controversial and upsets you then please go and register to become a donor. Go to BetheMatch.org and become a bone marrow donor. I registered 5 years ago and am patiently waiting for that phone call to help save a life. We can either be a part of the problem or solution.
If you are able to donate and go through with it then I have a lot of respect for you! I wouldn't be able to do so (because health problems) but even if I could Idk if I would. Maybe if this was a more common practice things like this wouldn't be as needed. Maybe if there was a campaign to get people to donate like for blood it can make a true difference. Imagine someone who feels purposeless findind one in saving someones life through donating.
kutie 101 there are but not enough awareness. If more people signed up to be donors, families wouldn’t be in this kind of predicament.
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS TO BE GRATEFUL FOR 🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
I can see doing this if you already had plans to expand your family. If you didn't, and are only bringing the child into the world to save the other, than that isn't right.
why do you get to say what is right and what isnt?
reminds me of the book 'never let me go'
Watching this programme made me feel really angry that these children were not considered for help. The amount of money we send to countries that abuse the money. We spend billions on countries and yet we can’t treat our own children. I wonder how these so called government would feel if they were in a situation that one of their children was written off as not worth helping. Children are priceless and parents should not have to beg for money to save their child. I’m so sad for all the families who are let down.
I fully support IVF but using it for this reason is just taxing on so many levels . The mother should care for her own health. I mean after seeing the woman endure 4 egg retrievals in this episode alone, I am concerned that her physical and mental health will be on the decline if she repeats these largely unsuccessful treatments . I sincerely hope that a living donor , presumably the one mentioned in this episode may be able to help her son get a second chance at life .
What happened with Alex? How could you not tell us?
All I can say is wow! These babies are superheroes!😍😍😍😍
Does anyone know how the families are today?
Is there an update on the family's?
update would be nice.
This seems oddly similar to the character Miracolina from the book unwind dystology series