From Google News

AKRON– A local hospital has taken a Medina County Amish family to court in a last-ditch attempt to treat the child for cancer.

The young girl was first brought to Akron Children's Hospital in April for fatigue and a mass near her collarbone.

Doctors found tumors in her neck, chest and kidneys.

"We have a 10-year-old young lady who has a diagnosis of T-Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma," said Dr. Robert McGregor, chief medical officer at Akron Children's Hospital.

The serious form of leukemia would require five chemotherapy treatments.

The family began the first course, but then stopped all treatment.

In court documents, the parents expressed concerns about long term effects like: "infertility and damage to her other organs."

But the parents called the effects of the chemo "horrible" and "terrible" and they said their child "begged" her parents to stop.

The family said they prayed on it and consulted family, church elders and friends.

In the end, they decided to have the girl treated with only holistic medicine.

Dr. McGregor said, "We find ourselves in a situation to do what we feel legally and morally obligated to do what we think is in her best interest."

With treatment, doctors say the little girl has an 85% chance of survival, but without it, statistically the odds are against her.

"It's uniformly fatal," said Dr. McGregor.

The hospital contacted Medina County Job and Family Services, but they "refused" to file neglect charges.

In July, a registered nurse with the hospital filed a motion for "emergency temporary focused legal guardianship" to deal only with the chemotherapy.

But Medina County Judge John Lohn denied the motion saying, "There was no evidence the parents are unfit."

FOX 8 reached out to the family's attorney, but a response was not immediately available.

The hospital has now filed an appeal.

Dr. McGregor said he respects the family and their good intentions, but time is running out for their little girl.

Two months has already passed since the legal proceedings started and her life expectancy is only six months to a year without chemotherapy.

"I feel obligated to offer what we can for this family to move forward and hopefully what will be an appropriate therapy for her," said Dr. McGregor.

The case will be heard in the Fifth District Court of Appeals in Canton, Ohio.

The hospital hopes for a response by next week.

In the meantime, the parents are supposed to bring the girl to the hospital to continue the treatments until a decision is rendered.

Dr. McGregor said, as of Friday, the family still had not contacted the hospital or brought the child in for treatment.