Two Babies and a Funeral

+It’s been an eventful week. Barbara Bush, the wife of our 41st president went home on April 17th and her funeral was held at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston on April 21st.[1]  First families from the Clintons on attended to show their respect and demonstrate that a person is not defined solely by their political affiliation.  Across the pond, two other momentous occasions occurred.  Prince William and Kate welcomed their third child and second son, Prince Louis.[2]  In contrast to this joyous occasion, a battle was being waged over the life of another little one, Alfie Evans.[3] Before we discuss baby Alfie, let’s return to Barbara Bush.  Millenials will not remember her time as First Lady, but she was known as gracious and welcoming.  A friend of public education, she made literacy her cause while in the White House.  After leaving the White House, she and Bush Sr. spent much of their time in Houston and after she passed, many local residents shared fond memories of interacting with her.  She was friendly to everyone and loved kids. Sixty-Five Years Ago in Midland, Texas The part of her life that wasn’t often discussed in the many years she was in her public eye was not her famous sons, but the daughter that they lost.   When their daughter, Robin, was only three years old . . . Not much older than Alfie Evans . . . She began feeling tired and did not want to go out and play.[4]  Concerned, Barbara took her to the doctor and the diagnosis came back.  It was a strange disease called Leukemia, one that not was much known about and for which there was no cure.  The doctor told the Bushes, “There is nothing that can be done, just take her home to die quietly.” Today in Liverpool, England Today in England, there is a battle waging over a little one named Alfie Evans.  Alfie’s parents took him to the doctor sixteen months ago after suffering seizures.  The doctors have not been able to diagnose the cause.[5]  He had been in the care of Alder Hey Hospital during that time and the issue is the doctors have told the parents that there is nothing more that they can do for him; however, they refused to allow the parents to take Alfie to any other provider. Alder Hey told the Evans the same thing doctors told the Bushes about their daughter, Robin, “There is nothing more we can do, make her comfortable, and take her home to die.” The Fighting Spirit Like the Evans, Ms. Barbara did not accept the doctors’ decree.  She was not just going to lay down and passively accept losing her daughter.  If there was any way, any solution, she would find it. She took Robin to Memorial-Sloan Kettering cancer center for experimental treatments and for eight long months, she watched her daughter go through the treatments and hoped for a cure.[6] Because that is what love does.  It never gives up.  It always believes.  It always hopes. The stress and strain of those months turned Ms. Barbara’s hair prematurely white.   This time hope died.  There was no cure for Robin on this side of heaven. It changed the Bushes as a family and it changed them individually.   Friends of the family, and Barbara herself, have said they believe this event was formational in shaping George W.’S personality.  He has said that he can still remember the day when they came home without Robin.  From that time on, he was there for his mom and always cutting up trying to make her laugh because she was so sad.[7] D-O-C does not equal G-O-D Doctors have to face death every day.   They have to operate in reality and probabilities.  They know what is likely to happen, but they do not know what will happen.  They can be, and often are, wrong. Today leukemia is not a death sentence.  It is a serious situation, but it is not now certain death.  Today, people with leukemia have a strong hope because there were doctors and researchers, parents, and patients who would not give up.  They determined to keep looking until a cure was found and leukemia beat.