"The stress our family lived until today was uncalled for"

SIX NATIONS - The Six Nations family who was being pressured to abandon indigenous and holistic therapies in favor of chemotherapy won a landmark legal victory last week.

The courts have acknowledged that the family has a "constitutionally protected right to pursue their traditional medicine over the Applicant's stated course of treatment of chemotherapy." In response to the court decision the family sent the following statement to the Two Row Times. Here it is in its entirety:

"A few months ago the Haudenosaunee way of life was put on trial. The use of traditional medicines was brought into question by McMaster Children's Hospital when [the child] and family chose to discontinue chemotherapy.

We understood immediately that the hospital's choice to take their inability to control into the courts to have Canadian law to judge our very existence as valid or invalid was going to have much broader effects than on our individual rights. Despite our refusal and objections to enter into Canadian judicial proceedings the case continued.

The support of the traditional system was sought out but the issue didn't get attention it deserved. There is clearly a breakdown in the manner [issues] enter and flow through the traditional system.

The courts also [proceeded] through our Big Green Corn ceremony, Karihwi:io and the death of an important figure in our society. It was disappointing that no one asked the courts to pause during these times because that is a societal norm for the Haudenosaunee. A teachable moment for Canada was not recognized and capitalized on.

The stress our family lived until today was uncalled for. We offered McMaster the role of monitoring [the child's] condition while we carried out our choice of healthcare. At no time have we or will we compromise [the child's] wellbeing. Safe guards such as the monitoring of her blood work was always part of our care plan. The impressions given by McMaster and most media was very dishonorable half truths.

[The child] has blood that proves amazing responsiveness to the treatment we are using. We are happy with the results and will continue to monitor her.

Niawen to Elva Jamieson, Joseph Victor Mispounas, & Hippocrates Health Institute. Much, much gratitude and appreciation goes out to the many people and businesses who opened their hearts to support us when we needed them."