In a heart-wrenching turn of events, Adaline Deal, a 12-year-old girl from Ohio, finds herself at the center of a medical and ethical controversy. Despite needing a heart transplant due to two congenital conditions—Ebstein’s anomaly and Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome—Adaline has been denied placement on the transplant waiting list by Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. The reason? Her parents’ refusal to comply with the hospital’s requirement for COVID-19 and flu vaccinations, citing religious and medical beliefs.
Adaline, adopted from China at the age of four by Jeneen Deal, who is related to Vice President JD Vance’s half-siblings through marriage, has been under the care of Cincinnati’s leading pediatric organ transplantation team for nearly a decade. The situation took a dire turn when it was confirmed that Adaline was in heart failure. Describing her worsening condition, Adaline told Local 12, “My heart’s getting sick. I get tired. My legs get [too] tired to stand.”
A Policy of Protection or Exclusion?
The policy at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, like many transplant centers, requires potential recipients to be vaccinated against viruses that could prove deadly in post-transplant life due to the immunosuppressive drugs needed to prevent organ rejection. The hospital’s stance is backed by the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, which recommends routine vaccination for all organ recipients and those on the waitlist to protect them from severe infections.
Despite this, Adaline’s parents remain steadfast in their decision, driven by what Jeneen Deal describes as guidance from “the Holy Spirit.” Their decision has sparked a wider debate on patient rights, religious freedoms, and medical ethics. “The heart failure team told me they won’t put her on the list unless we give her the Covid shot and the flu shot. I was like u would let her die if I refuse,” Jeneen expressed in a distraught Facebook post.
Community Support and Ongoing Struggle
As the Deals face mounting pressure and media scrutiny, they have also turned to the community for support, raising over $58,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to potentially seek treatment at another transplant center that might accept Adaline without vaccination. The hospital, meanwhile, maintains its position, emphasizing the critical role vaccines play in ensuring the long-term health and survival of transplant recipients.
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital outlined its policy in a recent statement, explaining, “Because children who receive a transplant will be immunosuppressed for the rest of their life, vaccines play a critical role in preventing or reducing the risk of life-threatening infections, especially in the first year.”
An Uncertain Future
The fate of Adaline Deal hangs in balance as her family navigates these tumultuous waters. The ongoing debate not only highlights the complexities of medical ethics and personal beliefs but also underscores the challenges faced by families at the intersection of health crises and contentious public health policies. As the community and the nation watch closely, the Deals continue their search for a resolution that aligns with their values while striving to secure a future for Adaline.