Fourteen-year-old Parker Jensen led the Pledge of Allegiance on the floor of the House of Representatives Thursday morning as a chemotherapy-free, cancer-free teenager.

Jensen and his parents were invited to Salt Lake City to participate in the day’s ceremony as quasi-celebrities. The Jensens became the subject of national media attention when 12-year-old Parker was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of cancer in April 2003. But the media flare-up came when his parents refused to start him on chemotherapy and were accused of kidnapping him to avoid treatment. Charges were dropped in October 2003 and now, the Jensens say they are getting on with their lives.

“Parker is doing great,” his father Daren Jensen said. “He’s a great son. We just love being a family.”

Throughout all of the media circus and the legal battles, Daren Jensen said one of the greatest lessons he learned as a parent was a reaffirmation of his great level of responsibility.

“It’s humbling to know children love parents and trust them enough to say ‘I will trust you with my life.’”

In the legal circuit again, but on the outside, the Jensens said they are keeping an eye on two bills during the 2005 legislative session.

The first, Senate Bill 83, Medical Decisions of a Parent or Guardian, would rule that a health care decision made by a child’s parent or guardian is not neglect unless there is clear, convincing evidence that the decision was unreasonable. The bill also protects parents by allowing them the right to a second health care opinion, as well as choosing the medical treatment they deem appropriate.

House Bill 202 would amend child welfare provisions on the Utah Human Services Code and list the rights and responsibilities of parents and the state on the issue of discipline, medical and mental health of a child.

Daren Jensen said he is interested in these bills because he believes medical decisions for children should reside with parents.

“I don’t want to see wholesale trust given to organizations,” he said.

And the teenager who trusted his parents? Parker said he is doing well but doesn’t talk much about his story. Even the media attention has lost its charm.

“It’s really annoying after a while with all the cameras in your face,” he said.

Parker said now he’s focusing on being a kid, trying to get back to what he usually does, which means weekend trips up the canyon to snowboard.

And even though he has dealt with far more than most 14-year-olds, Parker said the lessons he learned were mainly about things closest to home.

“Go with your gut instinct, stick with your feelings,” he said. “I [learned to] stick with my parents.”

Parker’s mother, Barbara Jensen, said she has always felt a great sense of responsibility for her five children and this experience just reaffirmed her belief.

“I take my responsibility as a mother very seriously,” she said. “I am responsible for him [Parker], responsible for what goes in him. I really had to fight hard to get my way.”

Barbara Jensen said her family shares mixed views about medical practioners, but as a bottom line, she said she believes everyone is responsible for their own health.



Copyright Brigham Young University 28 Jan 2005