Will OSF Follow Through with Hannah?--May 2013

Regarding the recent Journal Star editorial, “A life-saving moment for Hannah, and a landmark for Peoria”:

Regarding the recent Journal Star editorial, “A life-saving moment for Hannah, and a landmark for Peoria”:

On April 9 a surgical team at OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois created and implanted an artificial windpipe in a 2-year-old girl named Hannah from South Korea. This experimental surgery is giving her a new chance at life.

At the Children’s Hospital of Illinois press conference this past week, Hannah’s grateful father spoke very eloquently. In his first sentence he said that Hannah “deserved” this surgery. He is correct. Even though it was very expensive surgery, Hannah did deserve this surgery.

And it appears that several years from now Hannah will need further surgery. The key question is: Will OSF’s administration allow Hannah to return to OSF or will they deny her care?

This question happens to be very important because for a decade OSF has denied its Haitian Hearts patients from returning from Haiti for repeat heart surgery at OSF. Three have died.

Hannah definitely should be allowed to return to OSF when necessary and not be discarded. OSF’s real challenge this century is to follow the founding Sisters philosophy of refusing no one medical care.

The issue of equity needs to be readdressed at OSF. Now that would be landmark.

John A. Carroll, M.D.

West Peoria