Sheryl@simonslaw
Sandi@simonslaw
Sheryl Crosier never expected to become an advocate for parental rights in medical decision-making. Then she discovered that doctors had placed a Do Not Resuscitate order on her infant son Simon without her knowledge or consent after diagnosing him with trisomy 18. The medical staff had decided his life wasn't worth saving simply because of his chromosomal condition.
This heartbreaking revelation launched Cheryl on a mission to ensure no other parent would be stripped of their right to make critical medical decisions for their children. The result was Simon's Law—groundbreaking legislation requiring healthcare providers to obtain explicit parental permission before placing DNR orders in a minor child's medical chart.
Joined by fellow advocate Sandi Enzminger, whose daughter Tabitha also has trisomy 18 but is thriving at six and a half years old, Cheryl shares the painful details of discovering how medical professionals quietly withheld treatment from her son. "Once he was diagnosed, we started hearing 'not for Simon,'" she explains, revealing how certain lives are deemed less worthy of standard medical interventions.
The implications extend far beyond children with genetic conditions. As Sandy powerfully articulates, any child could find themselves in a situation where doctors might make unilateral end-of-life decisions—whether after a bicycle accident or car crash. The fundamental question becomes: "Do you want a stranger making that life or death decision, or you?"
Currently passed in twelve states with federal legislation pending, Simon's Law represents a critical protection for parental authority in an era where medical "experts" increasingly override family wishes. For those looking to support this vital cause or bring Simon's Law to their state, visit SimonsLaw.org to connect with advocates and learn how to protect the most vulnerable patients and their families from unauthorized end-of-life decisions.
