The most devastating thing for a parent is to outlive their child. And yet, this father from Amreli, Gujarat wishes for this to become his reality.
Shocking, isn’t it, when you hear of family members pleading for the gift of death for a loved one? But for those who live in dreadful pain, euthanasia is the only peace they’ll ever find.
Peace, respite, relief from pain… that’s exactly what Dinesh Maisurya seeks for his 12-year-old son Parth in the form of a euthanasia plea that he has written to PM Narendra Modi.
Maisurya, who is a diamond polisher in Savarkundla, Gujarat, and his wife have been bearing painful witness to their son Parth’s degrading condition and want his suffering to end.
Parth suffers from a rare neurological disease called Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis (SSPE), which causes loss of motor function, speech impediments, and painful spasms and seizures.
In the last 15 months, despite treatment, his condition has only worsened. His seizures are increasingly painful and occur every 10 minutes. He is currently surviving on a liquid diet because he cannot chew or swallow his food.
All this has had a drastic impact on his behaviour too; he is irritated and exhibits abnormal behaviour and symptoms of dementia.
Watching their son slowly slip into painful disability has become unbearable for Parth’s parents. The euthanasia plea was their last resort.
However, this isn’t the first time that Dinesh Maisurya has written to Narendra Modi. His previous correspondence with the PM was a year ago, seeking help for his son’s condition.
The PMO (Prime Minister’s Office) had then arranged to have Parth shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi for his treatment.
Alas, there has been no improvement in his health. The doctors have given their final prognosis: they can keep doing what they’re doing, but Parth’s condition is incurable.
He is currently closer to home, in the care of the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital with instructions from the AIIMS doctors.
Even in their time of difficulty, the Maisuryas have spared a thought for the greater good. After finding out about the incurability of his condition, they’ve given doctors permission to study Parth’s illness.
They wish for Parth’s pain to not be in vain and have dedicated their son’s life to finding a possible cure or medicines for the illness so that others like him have a fighting chance.
According to TOI, Dinesh has written in his letter,
“I don’t want other children of the same disease to meet the same fate. I want to dedicate my child for doctors’ research so that they can develop medicine for SSP. If that’s not possible, I seek euthanasia for him.”
It’s been 2 years that 12-year-old Parth hasn’t had a moment of painless peace. His parents plea has to be the most difficult thing they’ve ever had to do in their lives.
Euthanasia has been one of the biggest ethical debates in the world, with active euthanasia being legal only a few countries like The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium and Columbia.
Active euthanasia by administration of lethal drugs is a respite with ample discretion that only those who can afford the price tag can opt for in countries like Japan, Germany, Switzerland and Canada.
The Supreme Court of India has legalised passive euthanasia (removal of life support systems) in exceptional circumstances where the patient is in a permanent vegetative state.
There’s no way to predict the outcome of this plea. All we can hope for is that Parth Maisurya, and his family, some day find the elusive peace they seek.