Unvaccinated Ukrainian minor denied kidney transplant, hospital calls CPS

A 17-year-old Ukrainian girl is being denied a kidney transplant by Spectrum Health Helen Devos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan for not being vaccinated. 

Jenna Campau, who adopted the girl in June, is searching desperately for a solution for her daughter’s renal failure before the girl turns 18 in July. At that point, she will be placed on an adult waiting list which carries a wait time of about 3-5 years. 

But not only is Spectrum Health Helen Devos Children’s Hospital denying the girl a kidney transplant. They also called Child Protective Services (CPS) to report Jenna for refusing to vaccinate her child. 

The threat was first floated by the girl’s kidney specialist in October of last year after Jenna refused to give her daughter the flu shot on religious grounds. Unwilling to grant a religious exemption, the girl’s kidney specialist mentioned that Jenna might be reported to CPS. Without the flu shot, he said, the girl would not even be considered for the transplant list. 

Jenna then asked the hospital to provide her with a copy of the protocol stating the flu shot is a prerequisite for transplant consideration, but the hospital refused. 

Last month, the hospital did indeed report Jenna to CPS, though she did not share further details. 

“I have had the opportunity to speak with people in both the Patient Relations Committee and the Ethics Committee,” Jenna said on The Stew Peters Show last week.  

She stressed that not only did the hospital not even consider a religious exemption, but they are violating their own patient rights code in denying this treatment. 

“I would just encourage them to look again at their own patient rights pamphlet which lists in part that they will not deny treatment on the basis of someone’s religious beliefs.” 

Jenna also said she noticed that the religious exemption clause was missing altogether from some of the hospital’s forms. 

“It’s interesting – I just noticed over the last few days that that particular component of religious rights is not listed in some of the other forms that we have been presented with as we have gone through our daughter’s treatments. It’s interesting that religious rights are notably left out of some of those more personal papers.”

Jenna is currently fighting the hospital's decision in court, and Brian Festa, Esq. hopes that a legal win would set a precedent for all those who are being denied life-saving treatment due to their vaccination status.

Jenna has set up a fundraiser with WeThePatriotsUSA to help offset the costs of medical and legal fees. As of this report, the fund has received $13,986 in donations, though far short of the $50,000 goal. 

Questions regarding Helen Davos Children’s Hospital’s protocol or patient rights code may be directed to the hospital at 616-797-8488.