Sheila Edwards last night sobbed over her Jehovah’s Witness hubby as he fights for his life but dispute this she still refuses to let him have a life-saving blood transfusion. Its said that Sheila Edwards insisted that her Husband John who was horrifically-injured when a car driven by a suspected drink-driver hit him near his home in Southall, West London that she does not want doctors to give him blood because their religious faith bans it. This agonising decision has left the whole family in a nightmare situation.
Sheila and John’s sons Jonathan and Tom do not share their parents beliefs and they can only look on helplessly as their dad John lies close to death. It was still unclear last night to whether the boys had begged their mum to change her mind. I hope that for the sake of the boys she changed her mind.
Sheila said that John had signed a Witness form banning doctors from giving him blood in the event of an accident, in line with the controversial doctrine of their faith…
A family source said that “Sheila is adamant that John must not have blood. She says giving him a transfusion would be like assaulting him — and he wouldn’t want to live knowing he’d disobeyed his God. She’s in a terrible state, constantly in tears at his bedside, but won’t give in to requests from anyone. Her sons are both with her but her position hasn’t budged.”
It’s said that believers can absolve medics of responsibility by signing forms or carrying cards stating they refuse blood and are aware of the risks. But doctors still face dilemmas while treating life-or-death situations.
Last year Jehovah’s Witness Emma Gough died because of the blood ban after giving birth to twins. Now these babies will grow up without their mother.
I think that in situations like this people should allow their family members the right to live not watch them die. I could never watch a member of my family die knowing that something could be done to save them. This whole Jehovah’s Witness thing is very wrong in my eyes.
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11 responses so far ↓
1 Simon Jones // Jun 6, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Watch and see if the Jehovah’s Witnesses demand that the driver be prosecuted for murder if Edwards dies.
SUMMARIES OF 1200 JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES MEDICAL LAWSUITS & OTHER COURT CASES
The following website summarizes nearly 700 U.S. court cases and lawsuits affecting children of Jehovah’s Witness Parents, including 380 cases where the JW Parents refused to consent to life-saving blood transfusions for their dying children:
DIVORCE, BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS, AND OTHER LEGAL ISSUES AFFECTING CHILDREN OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES
http://jwdivorces.bravehost.com
The following website summarizes over 500 Jehovah’s Witnesses Employment related lawsuits, etc, including DOZENS of court cases in which JW Employees refused blood transfusions, and/or other cases involving Worker’s Comp, medical, health, and disability issues:
EMPLOYMENT ISSUES UNIQUE TO JEHOVAH’S WITNESS EMPLOYEES
http://jwemployees.bravehost.com
2 Danny Haszard // Jun 6, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Jehovah’s Witnesses blood transfusion confusion Simple fact-The Bible does not prohibit Blood transfusions.If you are bleeding to death it is more dangerous to refuse a blood transfusions than to take one.
Bloodless surgeries are great if they can be elective.1/3rd of all trauma deaths are from blood loss. Jehovah’s Witnesses elders will investigate and disfellowship any Jehovah Witness who takes a blood transfusion,to say the issue is a ‘personal conscience matter’ is subterfuge to keep the Watchtower out of lawsuits.. Jehovah’s Witnesses children die every year worldwide due to blood transfusion ban.Rank & file Jehovah’s Witness are indoctrinated to be scared to death of blood
FYI1) JW’s DO USE many parts aka ‘fractions’ aka components of blood,so if it’s ’sacred’ to God why the hypocritical contradiction flip-flop?
2) They USE blood collections that are donated by Red Cross and others but don’t donate back,more hypocrisy.
3) The Watchtower promotes and praises bloodless elective surgeries,this is a great advancement indeed.BUT it’s no good to me if I am bleeding to death from a car crash and lose much of my blood volume and need EMERGENCY blood transfusion.
Remember the Jehovah’s Witnesses use thousands and thousands of pints of blood donated by others.They use 60% of the blood volume as broken down “fractions” then go on Bible thumping rants about how dangerous and sinful blood transfusions are. ( JW do allow organ transplants which has more risk than whole blood transfusions so their arguments of disease transmission is bogus)
Know this,the reason that JW refuse blood is because of their spin on the 3000 year old Biblical old testament,modern medicine will eventually make blood donations and transfusions a thing of the past.When this technology happens it won’t vindicate the Jehovah’s Witnesses and all the deaths that have occurred so far.
The Watchtower’s rules against blood transfusions will eventually be abolished (very gradually to reduce wrongful death lawsuit liability) even now most of the blood ‘components’ are allowed.
They are such hypocrites!
3 Daniel // Jun 7, 2008 at 2:55 pm
If I were to give my full name, I may be disfellowshipped and shunned my believing family, such is the power of this cult like organization.
It is a given expectation that members refuse transfusions of whole blood or of any of its major four components, but they may accept treatments of any part of blood if is broken down smaller. Can you see any logic in that? There is no “sacredness” of blood if they will accept any smaller part of it. Of course they then take from the NHS Bloodbank but forbid their members to donate.
I am sure that Mr Edward signed a “Bloodcard” denying transfusions, all witnesses do . He was supposed to carry it at all times.
Do not blame his poor wife for carrying out his wishes. Blame the autocratic “Theocratic” leadership who make these rules . She is a victim of the cult.
4 TRICIA // Jun 20, 2008 at 9:25 pm
I really cannot understand the viciousness of some people by their remarks. I have been a witness for many years, formaly RC. It is not the Elders or Theocratic Leadership who makes any rules, If the Bible says do not Kill, Or do Not commit Fornication etc it is not the theocratic Organization that demands it, Daniel obviously does not get the sense of it. I made my own decisions before Baptism and thoroughly looked into the teachings, quickly though, seeing it had the ring of truth from the beginning and seeing the “blood issue” was scriptual even though Iwas an avid blood donor before. We are called Hypocrites yet that is the very things I saw in the churches. Traditions rather than the truth. Every one has the right to refuse a certain treatment if it goes against ones belief and concience. Would a muslim be forced to eat Pork even though it could be life saving? Or some people refuse cancer treatment even though it could prolong their lives.They have the right. Yet ones who go to war and maybe be involved in shedding innocent blood, or die themselves ,could be looked of as Heroes. Yet one standing firm for his or her God deemed Pathetic. The early Christians were also looked on as a cult and crazy. By the way a cult is a follower of man We only follow Jesus as our leader.
5 Daniel // Jun 24, 2008 at 3:57 pm
I hope that Tricia was not including me in the description “vicious”.Nothing would be further from the truth. My motive for returning to this site was to see if any more news had been posted about Mr Edwards . I sincerely hope for his recovery.
I have the greatest respect for the courage of his wife and I do accept the right of us all to accept or reject medical treatment . But we also have the right to accurate information. I have found that the information from the Witnesses is , to say the least “one sided”. There is much more to know , and the Watchtower does not tell you.
You compare the rule against Blood with the rules on morals, but the phrase “abstain from blood” can be ambiguous when set in the modern world. A senior member of the J.W. Hospital Liaison Committee told me recently that “The Governing Body have made the decision ” as to which parts of blood may be accepted and which parts of it are banned.
So it is the teaching and decision of men, not God, that Mrs Edwards is following , if treatment is refused on those guidelines.
Best wishes for his recovery
6 Dr. Jayson // Jun 24, 2008 at 8:30 pm
How many other anesthesiologists would guarantee 100% that a transfusion would save this man’s life? NONE! I’ve been a doctor for many years and these mis-informed replies critical of a religion for unrelated reasons have little bearing on reality. As a medical practitioner, everyone else needs to know that most anesthesiologists that have kept up to date in medical procedures would never guarantee a life could be saved with blood transfusions. Most, like myself (not a JW), would never take a blood transfusion. The entire continent of Africa graciously thanks JWs for their help in bringing bloodless medicine techniques to hospitals in those countries where 20% of the staff is HIV infected. In 10 years or less - bloodless medicine will be the standard - not the alternative. We should all thank the JWs instead of using this as a platform to for the ignorant to waste server space.
7 Dr. Jayson // Jun 24, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Oh by the way Haszard - I went to your website and saw that you blame the Witnesses for keeping you a virgin till you were 29. I think you need to look at those pictures of yourself a little closer - I don’t think changing religions was going to help your situation much. But go on keep telling yourself that.
Anyway, I’m researching for a speech I’m making at a seminar of anesthesiologists on bloodless medicine. I’m sick of having to see that loony on every site - Does anyone know a way to have my computer not show any of those comments? I just need to get to the ones that have substance without having to sift through the bitter rantings of the 3 or 4 people without a life hogging up all the posts. Their information is so uninformed and baseless that I’m nor sure if I’m reading a legitimate news site or graffiti at a truck stop bathroom. It’s just a big time waster for professionals like myself having to get past all the ‘poor me’ claims of mistreatment from a religion that, based on my personal dealings, are some of the most educated and kind people on the face of this earth. I can see why those posters wouldn’t want to be in a religion that promotes altruism instead of their own ego. Nonetheless any tech ideas to block these would be appreciated.
8 Danny Haszard // Jun 25, 2008 at 9:12 am
“Dr Jayson” is NOT a MD but a Watchtower cult troll who is stalking Danny Haszard
9 Brenda Lee // Jun 25, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Dr. Jayson said: “Oh by the way Haszard - I went to your website and saw that you blame the Witnesses for keeping you a virgin till you were 29. I think you need to look at those pictures of yourself a little closer - I don’t think changing religions was going to help your situation much. But go on keep telling yourself that.”
A true educated, medical professional wouldn’t stoop so low as to comment on a person’s sexual status and demean their character/appearance, nor would his grammar be so poor. What a phony! It seems if anything, he’s a doctor of deceit, just like the stalking Watchtower/Jehovah’s Witness he is.
This organization is a cult run by a dozen uneducated white men in Brooklyn who seem to relish ruining people’s lives on a massive scale.
10 J Mason Emerson // Jun 25, 2008 at 3:03 pm
#1.) 1 Samuel 14:32-35 shows God forgave all Saul’s men who ate unBLED meat as it was to stay alive.
#2.) The person calling himself a “doctor” made a vicious uncalled for personal attack and needs deleted, doctor or not.
#3.) Bloodless medical treatments often cost 30 times more (3000%) more than with-blood treatments, which enriches those doctors using non-blood treatments, so if “Dr” Jayson is a doctor he’s not only immature but may also have a big vested interest shown by the personal attack.
#4.) I’m happy to see Jonathan Edwards still has at least a slim chance of life. NonJWs are pulling for him to make it because we care. It’s sad what the Watchtower Society men over JWs have done to him and other active JWs, tying their hands behind the back when it comes to life, denying them the full right to pursue happiness, endangering life and limb this way.
#5.) Finally as to some in Africa being glad there is non-blood treatment due to their having HIV/AIDS. Agreed, “Dr” Jayson. It’s good there are non-blood options where they are truly needed; it’s too bad though that when an African JW is gushing blood from a car wreck he doesn’t automatically have the unfettered option of with-blood treatment due to the Watchtower writer Gene Smalley, Governing Body member Ted Jaracz and other men sitting in Brooklyn pretending their “blood” knowledge and righteousness outshine everybody else’s while Mr. Edwards faces death like this.
11 Randall Watters // Jun 25, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Dr. Jayson, cough up your cred, as JWs make up stories all the time. If you are really a professional, you sure act like a fool, picking on Danny. Do you patients know you are so immature as to ask for advice on ignoring Danny Haszard? Sound liek a typical 6th grade education to me.
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