In January of 2007 the IEET suddenly doubled its web viewage, and the phones rang off the hook.
The parents of the profoundly brain-damaged girl, known as Ashley X, had put up a website explaining and defending their decision to keep their daughter small so they could continue to care for her. George Dvorsky’s blog post defending their decision was pointed to in the parents’ website. George, Anne Corwin and I fielded dozens of interviews and enquiries in the coming weeks, from CNN to Al Jazeera. The parents are now back in the news, as George explains…
It’s been a year since the Ashley X story hit prime time. This is the case in which the parents of a severely disabled child submitted their daughter to a hysterectomy, breast surgery and drugs to keep the girl small so that they could continue to care for her. The treatment was performed back in 2004.
Despite her age, Ashley has the mental ability of a three-month-old baby and cannot walk or talk.
This story is back in the news as Ashley’s parents recently spoke with CNN to once again defend their actions and share their experience with other families.
Ashley, who is now 10 years old, is 4 feet 5 inches tall and 63 pounds; this will likely be as big as she will ever get. The so-called Ashley Treatment permanently closed her growth plates and took more than a foot off her anticipated height
According to her parents, “Ashley did not grow in height or weight in the last year, she will always be flat-chested, and she will never suffer any menstrual pain, cramps or bleeding.”
They remain convinced that what they did for Ashley is the most loving choice they could have made for their daughter and want that for other disabled children. “We feel that if our time and effort ended up helping a single pillow angel… then it is worthwhile.”
For more on this story and my own perspectives:
Helping Families Care for the Helpless
Ashley X story hitting prime time
BBC video
Certain minds and certain bodies
Ashley X doctor commits suicide
IEET Blog