Channel 4 - News - Let Them Die

Let Them Die

Friday 6th April 7.30pm

Clover Stroud is a working mother whose life has been taken over by her fight to secure funding for the care of her brain-damaged mother, Charlotte.

Clover Stroud

Clover Stroud is a working mother whose life has been taken over by her fight to secure funding for the care of her brain-damaged mother, Charlotte. Fifteen years ago, Charlotte had a riding accident and her life was saved by brain surgery.

However, she has been left severely disabled and unable to communicate. The surgeons acted in "the best interests of the patient", as they are legally bound to do, but Clover argues that doctors should also consider the impact of their life and death decisions on the patient's family. Clover meets parents of children born with severe mental disabilities, on whom doctors acted to keep alive.

She sees at first hand the appalling impact of recent cuts in services by NHS Trusts and local authorities to support these families with the care of their brain-damaged children. Clover questions whether it is right that doctors are not able, in cases like these, to consider the impact on the families due to their decisions to intervene and save lives.

Given that society is not prepared to support these families in the ongoing care of these severely mentally disabled children, would it not be more just to let them die at birth?

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