No blood

[MJ1]

article about developments in bloodless surgery

 

https://eu.jacksonville.com/story/news/healthcare/2026/08/03/baptist-health-program-gives-patients-blood-transfusion-alternatives/89449810007/

[AYMA]

Would have liked to have read it however it requires subscription. 🙁

[Sheep]

6 hours ago, MJ1 said:

article about developments in bloodless surgery

 

https://eu.jacksonville.com/story/news/healthcare/2026/08/03/baptist-health-program-gives-patients-blood-transfusion-alternatives/89449810007/

 

3 hours ago, AYMA said:

Would have liked to have read it however it requires subscription. 🙁

 

Right. You need a subscription. Except... it depends where you are in the world.

 

If you have a VPN (Virtual Private Network), change your location to United Kingdom. I got the article doing that.

[Barbllm]

Video interview with the person from the article here: https://vimeo.com/1168961038

 

[Sequoia]

Here's a link to an article on the same hospital's website.  It doesn't mention the man in the news article but talks about what they've been doing regarding bloodless medicine over the last twenty five years.

 

Baptist Health celebrates 25 years of Bloodless Medicine and Surgery | Baptist Health | Jacksonville, FL

[Brandon]

8 hours ago, AYMA said:

it requires subscription

archive.is can bypass nearly every paywall. Here’s your article!

 

https://archive.is/efscR

[MJ1]

and here  too

https://hoodline.com/2026/08/bronx-hospital-launches-first-bloodless-surgery-program-at-st-barnabas/

 

[jdcarlson]

I am familiar with this health facility in Jacksonville, Florida.

 

Many years ago, my mother (approximately age 80 at the time) needed a total hip replacement. Thankfully, my cousin and her husband were "in the traveling work" at the time, and Jacksonville was in thier territory. She put us in touch with the hospital in Jacksonville. As I recall, the hospital administrator was an Elder in one of the Congregations in Jacksonville. They were VERY cooperative with us regarding the blood issue. One interesting point (that, to me, illustrated their seriousness about the subject) was that they had two different color file folders for ones who have objection to use of blood. One color was for those whose objection was faith based (i.e., JWs, etc.) and a different color for those who had a different basis for their objection (presumably a medical situation, but I did not have the courage to ask why at the time).

 

All of the staff at the hospital were VERY cooperative and respectful of my mother's position on blood.

 

My mother came through the surgery very well, and we (my son and I) were able to bring her home to Pensacola (four hour drive)  for recovery.

 

This facility was truly a blessing for us on a matter that could have caused significant difficulty at another hospital. 

 

According to the post by MJ1 (on Saturday) there is also a facility in the Bronx that will cooperate with JWs on the blood issue.

 

I remember when the Society started the Hospital Liaison Committee program. That has been a great blessing to Jehovah's people.

 

Before the Hospital Liaison Committee arrangement, I was well acquainted with a local couple in Pensacola who had difficulty over the blood issue on a new-born with the RH negative/positive issue. The couple had to make an emergency trip to another hospital four states away to get treatment for the baby that was in accordance with biblical principles. The doctor obtained a court order to perform a transfusion. The parents were not allowed to acces the child in the local hospital. A local sister had a nurse's uniform. She was able to get into the hospital and retrieve the baby so the parents could take it to the other hospital (four states away) to get proper treatment. The mother of the child had worked with me (back when we had live orchestras at Circuit Assemblies and District Conventions) in the Chorus.

 

The Hospital Liaison Committee has been a significant help and a great blessing to Jehovh's people. I am very glad to see that it is not just in the U.S., but is in many other countries as well.  

 

Thanks,

 

Jim

 

[Sequoia]

I have a cousin who is on a Hospital Liaison Committee.  Today, they don't recommend running from a hospital with a child.

[Jim Jam]

35 minutes ago, Sequoia said:

I have a cousin who is on a Hospital Liaison Committee.  Today, they don't recommend running from a hospital with a child.

 

[jdcarlson]

9 hours ago, Sequoia said:

I have a cousin who is on a Hospital Liaison Committee.  Today, they don't recommend running from a hospital with a child.

 

I totally understand your comment, and I see the logic behind the Hospital Liaison Committee's guidance in today's climate.  However, before the Hospital Liaison Committee (HLC) arrangement, doctors would frequently get a court order enabling them to countermand the wishes of the parent and transfuse the child. 

 

At the present time, after the HLCs were formed, and have had many years to work with medical professionals, the attitude of the medical profession is totally different from what it was 50 years ago.

 

That is why I said that I believe the HLC arrangement was one of the better things Jehovah's Organization has done to assist all of Jehovah's dear ones keep true to his righteous requirements.

 

In areas where the HLC has had opportunity to work with medical professionals, things are totally different now.

 

I studied with one individual who "made the truth his own" and progressed to be an Elder. His oldest son was born with spina bifida (a neural tube defect where the spinal column fails to close compltely during the early prgnancy) in 1968, which leads to significant complications and can make the child paralized in the lower body. This condition was not apparent befor the child was born. The brother and his wife (and related family members) all of a sudden had to become well read on treatments that could be used and still comply with Jehovah's righteous requirements. He ended up on the local HLC (as well as having many additional privilegs including temporary Bethel Service, Department Head responsibilities at Circuit Assemblies and District Conventions). His experience with his first child gave him the ability to talk with medical professionals. He and his fleshly brother were both very dear to me. I studied with both him and his younger brother. The younger brother became a Ministerial servand. The one who became a Ministerial Servant died of a massive stroke about ten years ago. The one we became an Elder died of leukemia about four years ago. His son is wheelchair bound and is now 58 and is serving as an Elder. He had another son (about two years younger than the first) who spent five yeaars at Bethel, and is now serving as an Elder.

 

In today's environment I can understand why the HLC would not recommend running from the hospital with a child. In the environment today (particularly in the U.S.) there are usually much better ways to handle the situation. That is bacause of all of the great effort put forth by the brothers who have been working so hard for the rest of us while serving on the HLC.

 

When I made the comment, I was NOT trying to encourage someone to take a particular course of action today.

 

I was just relating what historically happened in this particular situation 50+ years ago. The couple even had to "do battle in court" in the city where they went. There was an attorney from Canada who had experience with these matters who came from Canada to help the U.S. attorney (both of these attorneys were brothers) during the court hearing in the city where they went. The problem was that the local doctor had gone to the court to obtain the court order without notifying the parents, so they had no opportunity to present their side of the case before the local judge make his ruling. When the couple were able to get legal representation in the city to which they went, the judge there allowed the couple to avail themselves of alternative medical treatment. There was a brother in that city who was a doctor, and he was able to treat the child using appropiate treatment, as well as providing excellent testimony before the judge at the hearing.

 

In today's environment (especially in the U.S.) it is not likely that a judge would issue such an order if the parents had been able to present their case to the court.

 

If I gave the impression I was suggesting someone "run from the hospital with their child" I apologize sincerely and totally.

 

I was just attemptng to relate an experience of which I had personal knowledge to illustrate one of the tremendously good things Jehovah's Organization has done for Jehovah's dear ones to help all to endure, by loyal, and keep their faith.

 

Thanks,

 

Jim