JOHN SMEATON, DIRECTOR OF SPUC: Welsh government advertises controversial organ donation law

Monday, 20 October 2014

Welsh government advertises controversial organ donation law

Students in Wales are being informed of a new organ donation law by an advertising campaign from the Welsh government. The new law introduces a system of ‘deemed consent’, whereby anyone who has not explicitly removed themselves from the organ donation register may have their organs removed at death, or, in many cases, when the donor’s heart is still beating. SPUC campaigned against the Human Transplantation (Wales) 2013 Act, pointing out that consent has not been given if it is deemed. SPUC is particularly concerned for foreign students and those who take little interest in current affairs, who may not be aware of the law, even with an advertising campaign. [BBC, 13 October]

Baby boy with fatal tumour is saved by miracle surgery in the womb

A South African couple discovered that a benign tumour had grown on their unborn baby boy’s left lung, taking up 50% of the his lung space and causing fluid on the lungs, resulting in cardiac failure. However, the parents were offered a life-saving treatment for their baby, Ethan, which entailed surgery whilst he was still in the womb. The surgery was successful and was followed up with another operation after birth. Ethan has now fully recovered from his treatment. [LifeNews.com, 16 October]

'Bucketlist' baby Shane born with anencephaly dies peacefully

A baby boy born with anencephaly has died after living for only a few hours. After Shane was diagnosed in the womb, his parents decided to draw up a 'bucketlist' for him – things they would like him to do before he is born and passes away. As babies with anencephaly usually live for only a hours or days after birth, Shane’s parents completed everything on the list and documented it online before Shane was born. Shane was born at 2:25am on 9 October and died in his parents' arms four hours later. [Fox News, 9 October]

Other stories:

Disability

Welfare reform minister says people with disabilities are "not worth" the minimum wage [Guardian, 15 October]
Former ballet dancer starts ballet class especially for children with Down’s Syndrome [LifeNews.com, 10 October]

Family issues

Synod’s final report “fails to resolve confusion”, says pro-family coalition [Voice of the Family, 18 October]
Denmark passes anti-bestiality law because animals cannot give consent [LifeSiteNews, 16 October]

General

Captured on film: baby dances in mother’s womb [Telegraph, 9 October]
Woman from Bristol could be first British woman to receive womb transplant [Bristol Post, 10 October]

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About Me

I became involved in SPUC after graduating, when I established a branch in south London in 1974. I have worked full-time for SPUC for 42 years. I became chief executive of SPUC in the UK in 1996, having been general secretary since 1978. I was elected vice-president of International Right to Life Federation in 2005. At UN conferences in Cairo, Copenhagen, Beijing, Istanbul and Rome, I helped coordinate more than 150 pro-life/pro-family groups resulting in pro-life victories in Cairo, Istanbul and Rome. I was educated at Salesian College, London, before going to Oxford where I graduated in English Language and Literature. I qualified as a teacher, becoming head of English at a secondary school. I am married to Josephine. We have a grown-up family and we live in north London.