Katelynn Caines
The Problem with Religion in :
This clip is taken from episode 8 “Save Me” season 1
This episode deals with a young Orthodox Jew who does not wish to have an operation where she will be receiving a porcine valve. Her parents, who are Reformative Jews do not see the problem. Implanting a borcine valve is the solution the family comes up with. The only problem is: it has not been done before.
In this episode a female minor is in desperate need of a new heart valve. The doctors propose a porcine (pig) valve which would be the solution to the young girls problem. The patient refuses the operation because it is against her beliefs as an Orthodox Jew. Her Parents, however, are Reformative Jews and do not understand the problem with a porcine valve if it is going to save their daughters life. The family discovers a case study where the same valve transplant was done with the use of a borcine (cattle) valve instead of a porcine one. The family wants their doctor to perform this transplant even though it has never been done in human studies.
Orthodox Jews, like the girl, will observe traditional mitzvot under the guidance of various rabbinical authorities. This is why the girl is against having the porcine valve, because pigs are viewed as impure animals. The girl’s parents do not see the porcine valve in the same light as their daughter because it will firstly save their daughters life and secondly because they are Reformative Jews meaning they apply their own individual interpretation to the mitzvot. Observing only what they feel is meaningful.
For the sake of religion and beliefs the patient is willing to risk an unattempted surgery. Is this really necessary?