This article was written a number of years ago for a website that no longer exists so I am republishing to this website.
A number of years ago, before we moved from Australia back to NZ the first time (2003), I remember getting an email which described a seemingly unbelievable story of a young girl (named Lisa in the article), who was being treated in NSW, against her will, for cancer.
The email told a horror tale of how her family had had all their rights taken away with regard to her treatment. Their visitation rights had been severely limited, and she was being forced by doctors, the Dept of Community Services (DoCS), and the courts, to undergo surgery and chemotherapy.
I was disturbed by this story, and in the years since I had often thought of her. I wondered whatever happened to Lisa. I knew that she was likely to be dead, but wondered what had happened with regard to her family, and their rights.
Well, I found out the answers to my questions.
Sarah’s Last Wish – A Real Life Horror Story
The book Sarah’s Last Wish: A Chillling Glimpse into Forced Medicine was released just a couple of weeks ago in Adelaide, and I have just finished reading my copy.
A chilling tale it is indeed.
The little girl’s real name was Sarah Westley and she lived in Gloucester, New South Wales. She was 11 years old when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and 12 years old when she died after being tortured and treated horrendously by doctors and staff in NSW hospitals, as well as social workers, and caseworkers from the NSW Department of Community Services (DoCS).
Sarah’s very sad story began when she was admitted to hospital in pain, vomiting, and quite ill, and the doctor diagnosed her as being 14 weeks pregnant, even though at 11 years old, she had NO signs of puberty, and NO tests had been done to confirm the diagnosis.
DoCS was notified at this point.
Sarah was eventually correctly diagnosed as having ovarian cancer, with a football sized tumour in her belly.
This horror story goes from bad to worse as doctors and staff created a false picture of a weird ‘hippie/alternative’ style family who belonged to some weird religion or cult that is anti medicine.
This false picture of a hardworking 4th generation Australian farming family began when the hospital doctor got in touch with the family GP to get a picture of who he was dealing with at the time of the incorrect pregnancy diagnosis. The incorrect innuendo was written in Sarah’s case notes, which were then passed from one hospital to another, painting an incorrect impression of the parents before they were even met.
Two Cruel Heartless Oncologists With Huge Egos
Two oncologists were involved in Sarah’s treatment. One in the regional hospital near Gloucester, and one in Sydney. Both were heartless, cruel, and seemed to have massive egos. So much so, that even when they didn’t know what they were doing with Sarah’s rare cancer, their subsequent errors in her treatment were never admitted to.
These doctors lied to the courts and omitted information. They did this so that the courts and DoCS would do their bidding with regard to overriding the parents rights, Sarah’s rights, and thereby ensuring that they could do whatever they wanted with Sarah and her body. Sarah was reminded often by both the doctors and hospital staff, that it didn’t matter what she wanted, they were going to do to her whatever they wanted.
It was going to be done to her anyway. It wasn’t up to her or her family, so she should ‘just accept it’.
Sarah’s parents were not anti medicine, or anti anything for that matter. They were simply asking questions that all good parents would, or should ask, in the same situation – ‘Is this the best treatment for my daughter? and can you show me the studies that confirm that?”
They wanted whatever was going to be best for Sarah.
The doctors gave the parents no information, no studies – nothing. They kept them in the dark. Never were they told that their daughter had stage IV cancer when she was diagnosed, and nor were the courts ever told.
Instead, the doctors made out that her cancer was very curable, with an 85% cure rate or more, and so of course the courts went along with what they were told by these doctors.
A Child Tortured by Medical Staff to the Point She Suffered PTSD
Sarah’s case was discussed in front of her, as though she were not there. She heard that the cancer would kill her. She heard that without the chemotherapy she would die, and she also heard that the chemotherapy could kill her.
At eleven years old, she was confused and scared.
Sarah was held down while chemotherapy drugs were forced into her veins. She was dragged kicking and screaming to surgery to have her spleen removed when there was no reason for it to be removed, and without warning. Neither she, nor her parents, were informed that the surgery was happening until they came to get her.
The doctors and staff treated her and her family SO very badly. They showed no compassion, and no understanding.
All bar one nurse, and one surgeon, treated her like they would a lab rat.
Department of Child Services and the Courts Were Complicit
While the doctors and hospital staff were inflicting all of this on her, DoCs brought court hearing upon court hearing on the family, almost sending them bankrupt. The family had their home invaded many times including their parents home on the same property. Paperwork was rifled through and taken (then returned in the mail box!).
DoCS workers treated Sarah and her family like criminals, and with no compassion or understanding. They eventually took away all of the parents rights to Sarah. The parents were only allowed to visit 2 hours per day, and even that was cut down by hospital staff as they decided that phone calls Sarah made to family and friends should be included in that 2 hours. Sarah was not allowed to get too close to her parents or siblings, and was not allowed to talk to them in private.
Sarah’s parents were not even allowed to ask questions regarding the treatment of their daughter, or they could be locked up for contempt of court.
DoCS forced Sarah to go to school every day, even though she was having chemotherapy and was incredibly weak and ill. She was dying from cancer, she was in pain, and she had trouble walking, and yet they forced her to go to school. If she didn’t go they threatened to put her in a foster home and her parents would probably never see her again.
In the end, this poor child was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, and it’s not surprising. What she was put through by these doctors, hospital staff, and DoCS, was criminal and every one of them should be locked up for what they did to her. Sarah was treated inhumanely, without regard for her rights. She was tortured, and abused, both physically and mentally.
A Story That Needs to Be Told
I’m so glad that Eve Hillary has written this book. People around the world need to know that this can happen here in Australia, and in particular in NSW (when you read the book you will find out why).
The doctors, hospital staff, and DoCS workers involved in this childs ‘care’ (for lack of a more suitable word), should read it also. I hope they have the guts to do so.
If I were to meet one of them I think I would feel the urge to spit in their face to be honest. Anyone who can treat another human that way, and in particular a child, does not deserve any more respect than to be spat at. (It’s not something I would do, but the feeling would be there).
This isn’t the only story of this kind. Sadly there are other similar atrocities happening around the world, both here in Australia, and in the USA in particular, where the rights of the child and their family are being ignored. The ego’s of Oncologists and doctors are driving the misuse of the court systems to get their way, and force-ably do what they ‘say’ is the best thing for the child with no regard for what the child wants or the family. Those with children and grandchildren need to be aware that this can happen.
If it can happen to the Westley family in Gloucester, NSW it can happen to anyone.
Sarah’s last wish was that no child should have to go through what she was put through and her father is working now to try to make Sarah’s wish a reality. By reading and sharing this story, we can all play a part in this sad reality changing for the better.
Click here to get a copy of Sarahs Last Wish. Read it and tell everyone about it. This is a story that needs to be shared.
Eve Hillary – A Hero and Truth Teller
I was fortunate to meet Eve Hillary at the time her book was released. We were both distributors for Neways, a network marketing company that sold health products.
By writing this book, Eve took on the ‘powers that be’ in NSW, and paid dearly. Her life was affected drastically. She lost her business, was harassed, taken to court and threatened for her bravery. But she didn’t back down, and Sarah’s story is still being told through her writing.
Eve Hillary is a hero.
