ATLANTA — A mom who was frustrated that she couldn't properly advocate for her terminally ill son due to COVID restrictions got the chance to see him one last time before he died.
James Hansen, 29, died Sunday after years of battling brain cancer.
Terie Hansen, his mom, challenged a top university hospital, Emory, to make what she felt were common-sense decisions when it came to visitation for terminally ill patients.
She spoke with 11Alive on Friday concerning her frustration with Emory not allowing her to visit James because of COVID-19 restrictions. She told us she understood why the restrictions are in place. But she said that, because of her son's condition, his cognitive skills were not what they used to be.
She was worried about his ability to advocate for his own care and share information with his family.
Hansen said she had healthcare power of attorney and an advanced care directive for her son. But still, she hadn't been able to visit him in person or directly talk to his doctors.
However, Terie said the hospital finally allowed her to see James on Saturday. He died the next day.
Last week when we first covered the story, Emory did release a statement about their policy. You can read it here.
It's important to note that Emory is not the only medical facility with restrictions in place.