Monday, September 25, 2006

Can you believe this?

Read this article, if you can stomach it.

It's about a father who starves his son, in order to convince everyone he has Cystic Fibrosis. All of this for a few bucks. Fortunately the poor boy was taken away from his dad, and is doing well.

It reminds me of those horrible people after 9/11 who pretended to have lost a family member, or the losers during Katrina who stole relief aid for a new car or sex change. Did you hear about that?

Froggydaddy and I have a googlealert that updates us on every new drug in the pipeline and article published around the world concerning CF. We look forward to our weekly "good news" about the progress of fundraising and research. But tonight this article was such a shocking reminder that for every parent concerned and in love with their child, there is another capable of abuse. It's hard to imagine, feeling hate for a child, or even indifference. Especially your own.

We would give anything to take this disease away from Froggy, and to know that a father would wish this upon his son is unfathomable, and personal. Just as it was personal for the victims of 9/11, and Katrina and all the kind people who donated. And it's personal for every family whose child has CF.

I imagine this man will be given a slap on the wrist (like most punishments for people who abuse kids). And when this jerk does get his little community service sentence, I hope it involves taking out the trash at a children's hospital where he can witness the real pain of a disease like CF.

You rob a liquor store and get 25-to-life, you starve your kid and might do a couple years, or less. Our nation needs to look very closely at what our values really are. Everyone preaches about morals and ethics, when crimes involving money are taken more seriously than crimes committed against children. Do we value our cars, and banks, wallets and clothes, more than our kids? What do you think?

No comments: