The Mermaid Girl...

I watched a programme tonight which really got me thinking.

It was the story of the 'mermaid girl', an eight year old girl from the States who sufferers from a rare condition which means that her legs have been stuck together since she was born.

This made particularly interesting viewing as it was for once a documentary showing an extremely disadvantaged child with an extraordinary positive outlook on life.

What was very interesting was the mother's concerns, in particular the fact that she was unsure whether giving birth to her child had been the right thing to do. She questioned whether it would have been kinder to end the pregnancy rather than letting her daughter live a life of pain and suffering.

This got me thinking about this weeks result of the Naomi Hill case in Britain. She suffered mild cerebral palsy and at the age of four, was drowned by her mother at their home.

Whether you let your child live or you terminate your pregnancy before it is too late I think is for each person to decide for themselves.

It is clear that the mother of Naomi had suffered great stress and serious mental health problems for years prior to the murder, which the court was in complete agreement about.

Even so, does this justify the murder of your own child? No, not in my opinion.

I have no right to assume what I would do in her situation as I have never had to experience what it must be like to raise a disabled child.

With official help available or even adoption if needed, what was done to Naomi was unforgivable.

The Extraordinary People documentary really gave light to the hard work that so many parents of disabled children worldwide have to do each day. But for many it seems that it is not a chore, it's simply loving your own child.

It was refreshing to see a family who have such a positive outlook on life and don't see their daily lives as a chore but the opposite. It's a real shame that Naomi's mother saw her child as a burden and made a decision that she will now regret for the rest of her life.