Classic Conundrum: She's my child and I know what's best

Jade is a 14-year-old girl with a high grade medulloblastoma (brain tumour). She presented with headaches but no evidence of neurological impairment. She is an otherwise healthy year eight student. Primary surgical resection with post-operative radiotherapy is the recommended treatment. There is a 30 percent chance of responding. But it's likely she will have side-effects (intellectual disability, seizures and/or problems using her arms and legs), and still die two to three years later. Without treatment she will die within six months. Her parents wish to try prayer and natural therapies, including pursuing options overseas.

Is it ethically acceptable for Jade’s parents to refuse standard therapy and pursue prayer and natural therapies?

Balancing quality of life and length of life is a tightrope that paediatric oncologist Dr Kanika Bhatia treads often. In this podcast she is supported by Dr Molly Williams who is also an oncologist and palliative care physician and for whom bioethics is a lived experience. Professor John Massie hosts the discussion.