This week Gary Reinbach died in hospital. He was in his early 20s and for half of his short life he had been an alcoholic.
The only surgery that would likely have saved him from a severe case of liver cirrhosis was a liver transplant. But Gary didn't qualify. The NHS rules require several months proven freedom from alcohol before a donor liver is transplanted - so that the new liver doesn't simply open the door for more binge drinking and a wasted gift.
His mother Madelaine told the Evening Standard: "I'm not saying you should give a transplant to someone who is in and out of hospital all the time and keeps damaging themselves, but just for people like Gary, who made a mistake and never got a second chance. These rules are really unfair."
I know nothing of Gary's faith or lack of it and, unlike the NHS, I am not his judge. I do know that if on his death bed Gary had turned to Jesus, as a thief once did upon a cross, his woeful history and doubtful prognosis would not have prevented the Saviour giving him eternal life.
The only surgery that would likely have saved him from a severe case of liver cirrhosis was a liver transplant. But Gary didn't qualify. The NHS rules require several months proven freedom from alcohol before a donor liver is transplanted - so that the new liver doesn't simply open the door for more binge drinking and a wasted gift.
His mother Madelaine told the Evening Standard: "I'm not saying you should give a transplant to someone who is in and out of hospital all the time and keeps damaging themselves, but just for people like Gary, who made a mistake and never got a second chance. These rules are really unfair."
I know nothing of Gary's faith or lack of it and, unlike the NHS, I am not his judge. I do know that if on his death bed Gary had turned to Jesus, as a thief once did upon a cross, his woeful history and doubtful prognosis would not have prevented the Saviour giving him eternal life.
No comments:
Post a Comment