Views on 'saviour siblings'?

Question

Views on 'saviour siblings'?

Answer 1

Didn't know there was a term for it.  Only a selfish person could have a serious problem with it.  The reason that a person was conceived does not necessarily have anything to do with how much they are loved.  And if I found out that I had been a "saviour sibling" I would be thrilled (assuming that the treatment worked).  There is no greater gift that one person can give to another.

Answer 2

I have no problem whatsoever with a sibling  helping a sibling.  It's not like  you are going to kill one to save another.  A parent runs the risk of the new baby not being a match, but I feel that if you are going to love that baby no matter what than society should just stay out of your business.  

I look at it this way. You are either going to have a child that is likely going to be dead in  a short time (guaranteed), or you  are going to have  two children to love ( a wonderful blessing) OR you still might lose a child anyway.  The difference is that you  have another family member in your support network.  This member would not REPLACE your other child, but a new life is always worth celebrating especially in the face of death.

Answer 3

"Saviour siblings is an issue within the U.K., not the United States, where I am a citizen; but, if I had a child who was suffering from a disease that a future child of mine might be able to help, I would certainly be trying to produce another child if the life of my future child was not required to be "sacrificed".

Answer 4

Hideous and wrong of the parents to conceive just because of that. They had better not let the child believe he or she is dispensable and that the older sibling is not.

Answer 5

It is a horrible world out there in many ways, but NOTHING on the planet could be worse (to me) than having a child at risk of dying, and no possible way of treating it.  Maybe the other poster does not quite comprehend that those who chose to do this, HAVE NO OTHER OPTIONS.  Seems to me that someone who (through scientific discoveries, etc) who NOW can save a child's life.. is blessed to have that opportunity.

One thing that many persons have lost any sense of, is a purpose in life, to help others.

I see no difference between this, and organ donors.. except the one involves donation at death, and the other is "donation" at birth.  Or surrogate mothers, who carry children so that another couple has the opportunity to be a parent.

How either child is treated, later in life, is completely unrelated to how they happened to be conceived or for what reason.