Shirley Cheng

Parental Rights in Children's Medical Care: Where is Our Freedom to Say No? a Look at the Injustice of the American Medical System Shirley Cheng

What is a more frightening nightmare for parents than their children's illness? It is the fear of losing custody of their children. In America, parents risk losing custody of their children forever when they disagree with doctors' recommended treatments or even when they want a second opinion. The Werneckes in 2005, Corissa Mueller in 2002, Valerie Emerson in 1998, and Tina Phifer in 1997, said no to doctors and lost their children. Shirley Cheng hopes to bring awareness to the public of this issue and inform parents of the legal consequences of dissent, and above all, to put an end to this crime against humanity. Her mother Juliet Cheng had battled and won two horrifying custody cases after refusing harmful treatments. The 1990 case made international headlines and gained support from celebrities, such as Katharine Hepburn and Taiwan's former first lady Soong May-ling.