OTGV #32 - Ladan&Ladeh Sum-Up
Broadcast Date: 14/07/03
This week's On the Grapevine takes a last look at the brave challenge that failed Singapore's quest to help Ladan and Ladeh fulfill their wish to be separate.
===============================
What a difference a week makes.
As last Sunday faded into Monday, the country was still starry-eyed with hope.
Hope that the operation Ladan and Laleh Bijani will be successful.
Last Monday, trepidation might have crept in perhaps but never sadness or even despair.
Hi I am Chong Ching Liang and this weeks On the Grapevine takes a retrospective look at the emotions of the past week.
"Both of the flowers are very fragile especially Laleh, in our poetry is very shaky even if there is very small wind. Ladan is also a very fragile flower. Today these two flowers do not exist anymore."
That was the Iranian Ambassador to Jakarta, Shaban Shahidi Moadab.
His poetic words brought added poignancy to the loss of hopes once held.
Hopes that weren't just held by the twins or their family, but by the peoples of Iran, Singapore and to a certain extent, the world.
When Nepalese twins Ganga and Jamuna came to Singapore for their separation operation, they are mere babes, unable to speak a single word.
Ladan and Laleh, on the other hand, were twenty-nine year olds, articulate and Ladan was, in particular, vivacious.
They communicated their dreams to the whole world, about how they searched for a means to see each other's face without a mirror.
Laleh wanted to be a journalist not a lawyer, though she is a law graduate like Ladan because they couldn't take separate courses.
They touched the hearts of two nations because of their humanity and their zest and yearning for a normal life.
It's arguable that perhaps they affected Singaporeans more than Ganga and Jamuna ever did.
Mr Shaban Shahidi again.
"I believe they're are not just two flowers but they are two swallows who flew from Iran to come to Singapore. Their destiny tied them together. For 29 years, they said yes to that but finally they decided to challenge and in this challenge, science and medicine came to the rescue. The name of the operation is Hope. The challenge is lost but the hope will continue."
Well-wishers stayed at Raffles Hospital hoping that the best outcome will occur.
But as news broke last Tuesday that Ladan had passed on, many like this Singaporean mother broke down.
"I have been reading, following the news and my heart actually go out to the two of them. [sobs] you know every time I hear of these two... it breaks my heart. [sobs] You know its difficult for these two survive, I know. When I was having my lunch, someone was signalling to me that one of them actually one of them, you know, didn't make it so ... you know my heart just went down. I just couldn't hold back my tears. [sobs]"
When Laleh died some 90 minutes later, all hopes that at least one of the remarkable Iranian twin would make it were dashed
The loss was hard to accept as an Iranian well-wisher put it.
"Its very bad. Very bad. I believe when you heard, you also shock. It's not really a small things, yeah? Its very difficult, not easy to accept they're gone. It's not easier yeah, for all of us. It's not something we expect to be 100 percent to go through. Of course we lose someone, somebody in this life. She is supposed to live like us and... sorry."
Around the world, the breathless expectancy gave way to a post-mortem of moral analysis.
Those in support praised the Singaporean team for their bravery in undertaking an ethically and technically challenging operation.
Dr Leslie Cannold, a Fellow at the University of Melbourne's Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics said the operation was not a mistake.
"The medical issues are relatively clear in this case because what you are dealing with are two competent adult. And so if the twins wanted to be separated they therefore took on, made an autonomous choice of what they wanted. And therefore they took on the responsibility, understanding that they have been in fact been denied several times by other doctors to have the operation. That's called informed consent."
In the other camp, Dr Richard Nicholson, the editor of the Bulletin of Medical Ethics said it wasn’t enough to just say the twins understood the risk and had given their informed consent to go ahead with the operation.
"Well, the doctor’s duty is not to ask everything the patient asks for even if the patients do understand the full risks involved. And with both twins sadly dead, there’s really no way of know whether they did understand fully the risks or whether even if they were given a realistic assessment of the risks by the medical team. But regardless of what information they did have or understand, there's still a duty on doctors not to go ahead with procedures that are incredibly risky unless it's an alternative to inevitable deaths."
The outcome of the world's first separation procedure to liberate two adult twins joined at the head ended in double tragedy.
But while post-mortem criticism exists, Dr Cannold maintained the decision to operate was laudable.
"It doesn't make any sense to suggest that this sort of things oughtn't to be done by doctors because they have never been done before. Logic will of course tell that there's always a first time for every thing and medical science would be at a standstill unless doctors are willing to take risks."
Perhaps, the most clear sighted of all comments was uttered by the Iranian Ambassador to Indonesia, Shaban Shahidi.
"I would like to say that Laleh and Ladan are not just two patients but they were ambassador of peace, ambassador of friendship. By using Ladeh and Ladan, I believe that the solidarity between Singaporean people and Iranian people, not only Singapore and Iran but this part of the world and Iran. And this will continue."
After the ravages of war and SARS, it is heartwarming that an effort to give two high intelligent individuals a normal life should unite the world -- in a brief moment of positive prayers that dreams might come true.
Lets hope that as days fade into weeks and memories of the twins start to wane,
the goodwill struck between Singapore and Iran will endure as Mr Shaban Shahidi hoped.
This is Chong Ching Liang for Newsradio 938.
==========================
Related Links:
Newsradio 938 (now 938Live)
http://www.938live.sg/
University of Melbourne's Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics
http://www.cappe.edu.au/
Bulletin of Medical Ethics
http://www.bullmedeth.info/index.html
Raffles Hospital
http://www.raffleshospital.com/
This week's On the Grapevine takes a last look at the brave challenge that failed Singapore's quest to help Ladan and Ladeh fulfill their wish to be separate.
===============================
What a difference a week makes.
As last Sunday faded into Monday, the country was still starry-eyed with hope.
Hope that the operation Ladan and Laleh Bijani will be successful.
Last Monday, trepidation might have crept in perhaps but never sadness or even despair.
Hi I am Chong Ching Liang and this weeks On the Grapevine takes a retrospective look at the emotions of the past week.
"Both of the flowers are very fragile especially Laleh, in our poetry is very shaky even if there is very small wind. Ladan is also a very fragile flower. Today these two flowers do not exist anymore."
Pictures from BBCnews.com
That was the Iranian Ambassador to Jakarta, Shaban Shahidi Moadab.
His poetic words brought added poignancy to the loss of hopes once held.
Hopes that weren't just held by the twins or their family, but by the peoples of Iran, Singapore and to a certain extent, the world.
When Nepalese twins Ganga and Jamuna came to Singapore for their separation operation, they are mere babes, unable to speak a single word.
Ladan and Laleh, on the other hand, were twenty-nine year olds, articulate and Ladan was, in particular, vivacious.
They communicated their dreams to the whole world, about how they searched for a means to see each other's face without a mirror.
Laleh wanted to be a journalist not a lawyer, though she is a law graduate like Ladan because they couldn't take separate courses.
They touched the hearts of two nations because of their humanity and their zest and yearning for a normal life.
Letter from irantimes.com
It's arguable that perhaps they affected Singaporeans more than Ganga and Jamuna ever did.
Mr Shaban Shahidi again.
"I believe they're are not just two flowers but they are two swallows who flew from Iran to come to Singapore. Their destiny tied them together. For 29 years, they said yes to that but finally they decided to challenge and in this challenge, science and medicine came to the rescue. The name of the operation is Hope. The challenge is lost but the hope will continue."
Well-wishers stayed at Raffles Hospital hoping that the best outcome will occur.
But as news broke last Tuesday that Ladan had passed on, many like this Singaporean mother broke down.
"I have been reading, following the news and my heart actually go out to the two of them. [sobs] you know every time I hear of these two... it breaks my heart. [sobs] You know its difficult for these two survive, I know. When I was having my lunch, someone was signalling to me that one of them actually one of them, you know, didn't make it so ... you know my heart just went down. I just couldn't hold back my tears. [sobs]"
When Laleh died some 90 minutes later, all hopes that at least one of the remarkable Iranian twin would make it were dashed
The loss was hard to accept as an Iranian well-wisher put it.
"Its very bad. Very bad. I believe when you heard, you also shock. It's not really a small things, yeah? Its very difficult, not easy to accept they're gone. It's not easier yeah, for all of us. It's not something we expect to be 100 percent to go through. Of course we lose someone, somebody in this life. She is supposed to live like us and... sorry."
Around the world, the breathless expectancy gave way to a post-mortem of moral analysis.
Those in support praised the Singaporean team for their bravery in undertaking an ethically and technically challenging operation.
Dr Leslie Cannold, a Fellow at the University of Melbourne's Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics said the operation was not a mistake.
"The medical issues are relatively clear in this case because what you are dealing with are two competent adult. And so if the twins wanted to be separated they therefore took on, made an autonomous choice of what they wanted. And therefore they took on the responsibility, understanding that they have been in fact been denied several times by other doctors to have the operation. That's called informed consent."
In the other camp, Dr Richard Nicholson, the editor of the Bulletin of Medical Ethics said it wasn’t enough to just say the twins understood the risk and had given their informed consent to go ahead with the operation.
"Well, the doctor’s duty is not to ask everything the patient asks for even if the patients do understand the full risks involved. And with both twins sadly dead, there’s really no way of know whether they did understand fully the risks or whether even if they were given a realistic assessment of the risks by the medical team. But regardless of what information they did have or understand, there's still a duty on doctors not to go ahead with procedures that are incredibly risky unless it's an alternative to inevitable deaths."
The outcome of the world's first separation procedure to liberate two adult twins joined at the head ended in double tragedy.
But while post-mortem criticism exists, Dr Cannold maintained the decision to operate was laudable.
"It doesn't make any sense to suggest that this sort of things oughtn't to be done by doctors because they have never been done before. Logic will of course tell that there's always a first time for every thing and medical science would be at a standstill unless doctors are willing to take risks."
Perhaps, the most clear sighted of all comments was uttered by the Iranian Ambassador to Indonesia, Shaban Shahidi.
"I would like to say that Laleh and Ladan are not just two patients but they were ambassador of peace, ambassador of friendship. By using Ladeh and Ladan, I believe that the solidarity between Singaporean people and Iranian people, not only Singapore and Iran but this part of the world and Iran. And this will continue."
After the ravages of war and SARS, it is heartwarming that an effort to give two high intelligent individuals a normal life should unite the world -- in a brief moment of positive prayers that dreams might come true.
Lets hope that as days fade into weeks and memories of the twins start to wane,
the goodwill struck between Singapore and Iran will endure as Mr Shaban Shahidi hoped.
This is Chong Ching Liang for Newsradio 938.
==========================
Related Links:
Newsradio 938 (now 938Live)
http://www.938live.sg/
University of Melbourne's Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics
http://www.cappe.edu.au/
Bulletin of Medical Ethics
http://www.bullmedeth.info/index.html
Raffles Hospital
http://www.raffleshospital.com/
posted by CHONG Ching-liang | 2:14 PM
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