Tuesday, May 31, 2005

UK: Parents' Fight to Have Son Sterilized

See this article by that title. It begins:

The parents of a disabled man have said today that they will fight to have their son sterilised.

Gavin Smalldon is 22 but a genetic condition means that he has the mental age of a six-year-old and requires constant care from his parents, 48-year-old Paul and 47-year-old Jo.

The couple, who live in Tonna near Neath, south Wales that their son is incapable of looking after himself and would not be able to care for a child.

Medical experts say that any child of Gavin’s would have more than a 50% chance of being born with the same condition.

Gavin, who is soon to complete a catering course at Neath and Port Talbot college, leads a very active life but always requires supervision.

Mr Smalldon said: “We have been fighting this for many years. It has not been an easy to make a decision on. But if you ask Gavin he wouldn’t be able to give you an answer.

“He has the mind of a six-year-old and finds certain words very funny, you can’t ask him what he thinks about sterilisation and what that means."

Wow. I'll limit myself to this comment: I don't know many six-year-olds who are completing catering courses.

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