A Georgia teenager who has less than six months to live has been denied a life saving heart transplant over history of non-compliance.
Anthony Stokes only hope at survival is getting his name on the transplant list as he is suffering from an enlarged heart which is weak.
“The non-compliance is fabricating, because they don’t want to give him a heart,” said Stokes’ mentor and family friend, Mack Major. “This is unacceptable because he must lose his life because of a non-compliance.”
Why is Anthony being denied a new heart?
Stokes has been under medical intervention at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston hospital since July 14 and is likely to get discharge with just medication and no surgery.
The doctors at the hospital are ambiguous and have not cited a specific reason as to why Anthony was kept off the list. However, his distraught family believe medics refused to put the dying teen on the transplant list because of his poor grades in school and run-ins with the law.
The doctors voiced concerns that Anthony would not meet the necessary follow up medical appointments or take his medication. The issue of color and the family’s financial status may also have worked against the family in the hospital’s decision.
“I think that they don’t think that we can pay for the medicine. We probably couldn’t get to the doctor visits because of transportation. I don’t have a car,” said Melencia Hamilton, Anthony’s mother.
Strict guidelines
Given the dearth of donors for procedures such as heart transplants, the hospitals need to follow strict guidelines as to who can receive a life-saving organ. Meanwhile, the hospital authorities are mulling over other alternatives for the teens’ treatment.
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta spokeswoman Patty Gregory said in a statement, “The well-being of our patients is always our first priority. We are continuing to work with this family and looking at all options regarding this patient’s health care. We follow very specific criteria in determining eligibility for a transplant of any kind.”
