We can't bring back baby 'Mary': We can make sure the truth is known. Hundreds of Disabled people and allies have been campaigning for months. A submission by 7 Disabled people was sent to the Manchester Coroner, which he said he would consider at the Inquest into 'Mary' Attard's death (link below). On Friday, he uncovered that conjoined twin 'Mary' could have survived a life-saving heart & lung transplant. Background information is below the report. 'MARY'S' INQUEST: facts the 'big' press don't care about: In court Leonard Gorodkin, Manchester Coroner asked the surgeon Adrian Bianchi about 'Mary' Attard. Bianchi called the twins "the good twin" (Jodie) and "the other twin" (Mary). The surgeon, Bianchi, used 'Mary's' impairments and quality of life, as an excuse for not trying to find donor organs. Coroner has been told that disabled people know 'quality of life' is not caused by impairment. Gorodkin forced the surgeon to admit that 'Mary's' impairments would not stop her from living, if she had a heart and lung transplant. This may have also contributed to the Coroner's unique verdict. "Mary died following surgery separating her from her conjoined twin, which surgery was permitted by an order of the High Court, confirmed by the Court of Appeal." (Coroners verdict). The verdict did not suggest, like previous courts, that 'Mary' Attard's death was an accidental side affect. Nor did he suggest her death was in any way natural. The post mortem verdict (which he requested) was - Mary died of heart and lung failure after the separation. BACKGROUND INFO. About the Attard twins: MEDICAL MODEL: 'Mary's' heart and lungs did not work. 'Jodie' mostly pumped their blood and got their oxygen. Surgeons said the twins must be separated because 'Mary' would kill 'Jodie'. They knew that the separation would kill 'Mary' because her heart and lungs could not keep her alive. A heart and lung transplant, if one was found, might have saved the lives of both babies. In the Appeal Courts the surgeon's said (translation of medical blah): "Organs are hard to get. Mary is so sub normal it's not worth trying'. Not even 'Mary's' own solicitor challenged this. SOCIAL / EQUAL RIGHTS MODEL: The twins had an equal right to life under the law and the Human Rights Act. 'Mary' did not go on the transplant list because doctors decided her life was worthless. They did not try everything to save 'Mary's' life because she was disabled an this is wrong. Quality or length of life is unpredictable and not about impairment. Neither of the babies were dying when they separated them (they kept the twins joined to gain strength for the operation.) There was no reason why the operation should had gone ahead on November 3rd, other than the LAW permitted this to be done. About 'conjoined' twins generally: MEDICAL MODEL: All conjoined twins depend on each other for life. Their blood flows between them as one system. When one twin dies, the other dies soon after, unless separated. SOCIAL / EQUAL RIGHTS MODEL: On BBC's 'Horizon' programme we had twins speaking for themselves. They said they do not want to be separated. Including twins who have other impairments, and have suffered medical abuse. |