"Psychic" advises cancer patient not to get chemo

Azrel

www. independent.ie/irish-news/operation-transformation-participantturnedpsychic-apologises-to-cancer-victims-family-for-getting-diagnosis-wrong-34257135.html

Heard this lady on Joe Duffy today, is it time a law is brought in to finally make this nonsense illegal? She charges €70 for a private reading, and €10 for tickets to her live shows. It's fraud in my eyes.

(Sorry about the link I am new user)

The Backwards Man

To be honest, I don't really blame the charlatans making a buck out of this, immoral as it may be. If there wasn't a demand for snake oil there'd be no one selling it.

darkpagandeath

To be fair why would one take the advice of a none Medical professional in that situation ?

Atlantic Dawn

Idiots and their money will soon be parted.

If we brought in laws for that we would also have to have laws at the cinema so anything not realistic could be banned.

Deep Six

I'd put these "psychics" in the same bracket as Nigerian email scammers - they know there is a gullible audience out there who will fall for their bull****. Shameless con artists.

StewartGriffin

The Backwards Man wrote: »

If there wasn't a demand for snake oil there'd be no one selling it.

Those damned sexy snakes and their oil.

colm_mcm

darkpagandeath wrote: »

To be fair why would one take the advice of a none Medical professional in that situation ?

Because they're telling you what you want to hear.

Taking advice in this case requires seeking advice too.

Fr_Dougal

darkpagandeath wrote: »

To be fair why would one take the advice of a none Medical professional in that situation ?

Desperate people.

Have nothing against these 'psychic's' myself, they can give people closure on a lot of things. But they shouldn't cross the line and give medical advice.

Buona Fortuna

Azrel wrote: »

http / www . independent.ie/irish-news/operation-transformation-participantturnedpsychic-apologises-to-cancer-victims-family-for-getting-diagnosis-wrong-34257135.html

Heard this lady on Joe Duffy today, is it time a law is brought in to finally make this nonsense illegal? She charges €70 for a private reading, and €10 for tickets to her live shows. It's fraud in my eyes.

(Sorry about the link I am new user)

Yep. There's all sorts of quackery about.

Gaygooner

Some people are desperate - vulnerable people should be protected

kneemos

darkpagandeath wrote: »

To be fair why would one take the advice of a none Medical professional in that situation ?

Takes all sorts including the gullible.
Yer one taking advantage is the bad guy here I'd say.

LeinsterDub

Azrel wrote: »

http / www . independent.ie/irish-news/operation-transformation-participantturnedpsychic-apologises-to-cancer-victims-family-for-getting-diagnosis-wrong-34257135.html

Heard this lady on Joe Duffy today, is it time a law is brought in to finally make this nonsense illegal? She charges €70 for a private reading, and €10 for tickets to her live shows. It's fraud in my eyes.

(Sorry about the link I am new user)

Sure and churches too. And any other superstitious nonsense

Dravokivich

darkpagandeath wrote: »

To be fair why would one take the advice of a none Medical professional in that situation ?

Homeopathy, Reiki, Acupuncture. There's no shortage of the merchants unfortunately. The normalisation of them is the issue. Particularly when Insurance companies endorse them by allowing you to claim back such expenses.

Ten of Swords

Dravokivich wrote: »

Homeopathy, Reiki, Acupuncture.

Get in the fecking sack

Azrel

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

But they shouldn't cross the line and give medical advice.

My thoughts exactly. Thankfully this patient had the sense not to follow the psychic "medical" advice but could criminal charges potentially be brought against a psychic who gives advice like this resulting in someone getting sicker or even dying?

Deep Six

Azrel wrote: »

My thoughts exactly. Thankfully this patient had the sense not to follow the psychic "medical" advice but could criminal charges potentially be brought against a psychic who gives advice like this resulting in someone getting sicker or even dying?

I don't think criminal charges would be possible at all unfortunately, she's not a qualified medical professional so there's not much she can be charged with for giving the advice, plus the fact the person affected decided to take her word over the opinion of an actual doctor.

cml387

For the first time in ages I heard this on Joe Duffy and it made for entertaining car crash radio.

The medium/psychic/whatever was on JD today attempting to defend herself from the allegation yesterday that she told a woman at one of her "events" that, despite a doctor's diagnosis, she did not have cancer and should not have chemotherapy.

When she denied that she had done it, the family involved went on the air and accused her of making them out to be liars.

To add to the overall flavour of the encounter, the family representative said that having had this diagnosis from Ms Stokes, they were all so delighted that they all went off to the bar to have "shots".

Lo and behold the family's horror when it turned out that the family member did indeed have cancer and had delayed chemotherapy.

We even had an expletive (and the bad "f" word,father) thrown into the mix.

If I thought JD was always this good I'd try the podcast (I'm working when it's on normally).

Azrel

cml387 wrote: »

For the first time in ages I heard this on Joe Duffy and it made for entertaining car crash radio.

The medium/psychic/whatever was on JD today attempting to defend herself from the allegation yesterday that she told a woman at one of her "events" that, despite a doctor's diagnosis, she did not have cancer and should not have chemotherapy.

When she denied that she had done it, the family involved went on the air and accused her of making them out to be liars.

To add to the overall flavour of the encounter, the family representative said that having had this diagnosis from Ms Stokes, they were all so delighted that they all went off to the bar to have "shots".

Lo and behold the family's horror when it turned out that the family member did indeed have cancer and had delayed chemotherapy.

We even had an expletive (and the bad "f" word,father) thrown into the mix.

If I thought JD was always this good I'd try the podcast (I'm working when it's on normally).

The last time I laughed so much was when he covered the spunout threesome controversy.

Summer wind

God must really love stupid people. He's made enough of them:)

recylingbin

Her daughter had been in previously and the psychic told her she was about to come into a lot of money.
Swings and roundabouts, innit?

Ruu

You misspelled charlatan in the title there.

People like that prey on gullible and vulnerable people, desperate to hear something good about their lives.

Being easily taken in shouldn't carry a potential death penalty though, and anyone without a medical degree giving medical advice should be subject to some censure.

Fleawuss

Was she using a ouija board? Powerful things according to a lot of people.

RobertKK

There is a facebook account for a missing person where the people running it say they have contacted a psychic and that the psychic have told them were the body is. They had searches of the area and surprise, surprise...nothing.
Still posting about what the psychic told them on the facebook account.

captbarnacles

Will this cause her all her fans to rethink everything she told them? :pac:

DareGod

Imagine basing your cancer treatment plan on what someone who claims to be a "psychic" says. Seriously, what were those people thinking?! Ludicrous.

Off I go now to give my life savings over to a Nigerian King. Oh no wait, I won't, because I'd never actually do that, no matter how "desperate" I was!

I'm sorry for that family's troubles, but they're clearly morons, and they're as much to blame, if not ENTIRELY to blame, for what has happened to their relative.

The "psychic" didn't hold a gun to their heads. They completely abandoned all reason, using "desperation" as an excuse. Well it's absolutely no excuse - neither is their "vulnerability" - in favour of believing a fairy tale, and they put their relative's life at risk.

How many of them in the family, and not one of them said "Ye know what, lets believe the doctors instead of the "psychic" ? Disgraceful.

DareGod

DareGod wrote: »

I'm sorry for that family's troubles, but they're clearly morons, and they're as much to blame, if not ENTIRELY to blame, for what has happened to their relative.

Being a moron shouldn't be a death penalty offence.

Falling prey to a fraud or scam might make you stupid, but advising a sick person to forgo life saving treatment is downright sinister and endangers a persons life.

DareGod

Candie wrote: »

Being a moron shouldn't be a death penalty offence.

I don't believe that I suggested that anyone deserved to die for believing a psychic. My sole point was that the family are responsible for their own actions, and their actions in this case were downright inexcusable.

Candie wrote: »

Falling prey to a fraud or scam might make you stupid, but advising a sick person to forgo life saving treatment is downright sinister and endangers a persons life.

I agree with that. I don't believe that I suggested that the "psychic" acted appropriately. As I said, the family chose to believe a "psychic" over their doctors and in doing so, recklessly endangered their relative's life. That's 100% their responsibility, and there is no excuse for it, no matter who they may try to blame.

Are they right to bring the ridiculousness of the culture of "psychics" to public attention? Absolutely, they should, and I agree with that. Blame a psychic for their choice to believe a psychic instead of their doctor? No, that was entirely their choice, and their own doing.

DareGod

DareGod wrote: »

I don't believe that I suggested that anyone deserved to die for believing a psychic. My sole point was that the family are responsible for their own actions, and their actions in this case were downright inexcusable.

This is the bit you said that I have a problem with

they're as much to blame, if not ENTIRELY to blame

Their actions might be inexcusable, but so are the 'psychics'. Advising someone to forgo treatment is highly dangerous and questionable, and they certainly deserve some of the responsibility for what happens as a consequence of that action.

In my opinion, of course.

jd

Dravokivich wrote:

Homeopathy, Reiki, Acupuncture. There's no shortage of the merchants unfortunately. The normalisation of them is the issue. Particularly when Insurance companies endorse them by allowing you to claim back such expenses.

The really annoying thing about this is that premiums for plans that cover this crap are tax deductible. I brought this up with Leo Varadkar and got a response that he agreed that such treatments were horsesh!t but that people should have freedom of choice regarding their treatment! I have the email archived somewhere, I'll dig it up tomorrow.

jd

For the record..

Hi
I would like to suggest that health insurers be asked to remove
"alternative medical treatments" such as reiki, homeopathy etc from
their schemes. There is no scientific basis for these treatments and
the taxpayer should not be subsidising them ( the premiums being tax
deductable)
Thank You



Hi JD

Thank you for your email and please accept my apologies for the delay in replying.

I agree with you but ultimately it is up to the health insurers to make these decisions and people can choose between different policies.

Your sincerely

Leo Varadkar TD

Cookie_Monster

jd wrote: »

For the record..

it's up to health insurers to decide what should be tax deductible or not...

Lazy, stupid reply from Leo

Mourinho

Jesus they actually went and celebrated after being told she hadn't cancer imagine it hadn't been spotted on a follow up

topmanamillion

Psychics are deluded or crooks.
There's an argument that they are only a bit of fun, but too many people take the crap they spout as fact for that to be true.
A mixture of charlatans and idiots never end well.
E70 a reading? Mmm on second thoughts. Roll up roll up meet the gifted all knowing top man!

ciano1

What advice would flathan give?

foggy_lad

The Backwards Man wrote: »

To be honest, I don't really blame the charlatans making a buck out of this, immoral as it may be. If there wasn't a demand for snake oil there'd be no one selling it.

I do blame them as they know they are peddling horsesh1t and lies yet they keep taking money from desperate and often very sick people who very often have very little money left because they have tried so many different "cures".

darkpagandeath wrote: »

To be fair why would one take the advice of a none Medical professional in that situation ?

In a word, Desperation.

jd wrote: »

The really annoying thing about this is that premiums for plans that cover this crap are tax deductible. I brought this up with Leo Varadkar and got a response that he agreed that such treatments were horsesh!t but that people should have freedom of choice regarding their treatment! I have the email archived somewhere, I'll dig it up tomorrow.

Oh well, at least he is not a Doctor!

ShooterSF

Ok most of us would consider ourselves smart enough not to be conned by psychics or homeopaths or Nigerian princes but everyone has a blind spot and very intelligent people, especially when vulnerable, can be sucked in by scam artists and the law should be there to protect them. It's no different than someone selling phones still in contract with the plan to report them stolen or other more elaborate scams. Just because you don't think you'd fall for it doesn't mean you put the guilt on the victim.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Criminal charges need to be brought against this individual.

As the Backwards man said you have to ask why people want to go and see a psychic and seek alternative treatments. With the psychics it seem to be just idiocy and looking for someone to tell them what they want to here.

The alternative treatments is more interesting as an issue.

What it boils down to is that western medicine is seen as cold and rational verses eastern 'medicine' which is seen as holistic intuitive and containing esoteric knowledge.

petes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIU4-PWRyw4

_Brian

darkpagandeath wrote: »

To be fair why would one take the advice of a none Medical professional in that situation ?

I agree but isn't that what Steve Jobbs did and it didn't end well for him !!

Duggy747

mariaalice wrote: »

What it boils down to is that western medicine is seen as cold and rational verses eastern 'medicine' which is seen as holistic intuitive and containing esoteric knowledge.

Western medicine is sterile, non-spiritual, has "scary" chemicals in them, and borderline evil according to many people I know despite them buying Calpol or Nurofen when they momentarily stop with the bullshít.

Which I always find funny with some people harping on about the evils of western medicine in regards to homeopathy, considering it's German origins :pac:

As for psychics, I only have a problem with them not with people who seek them out since it's their money and their choice. Those people have a personal reason and want comfort, guidance or closure on something but it's those charlatans who take full advantage of them that are scumbags.

That being said, time and time again these mediums are exposed publicly but people have very short memories. This story in particular won't be remembered.

Maximus Alexander

As much as I think yer wan is an awful, rotten charlatan who should be treated with every drop of the contempt that she richly deserves - the mind absolutely boggles as to how anyone could take medical advice from someone other than a qualified medical doctor, particularly when it comes to terminal illness.

I mean, this isn't like those times that I'm surprised that people don't know that Jupiter is over 300 times thew mass of the Earth, because I've been an astronomy geek since childhood, right? I mean, doctors, medicine and their efficacy are common knowledge... right?

Lollipops23

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

As much as I think yer wan is an awful, rotten charlatan who should be treated with every drop of the contempt that she richly deserves - the mind absolutely boggles as to how anyone could take medical advice from someone other than a qualified medical doctor, particularly when it comes to terminal illness.

People get desperate. Really scared and desperate.


That woman should be locked up.

padd b1975

I heard this chancer on the radio yesterday.

I always find it funny how spoofers always feel the need to liberally use phrases such as 'truly' and 'to be honest with you'.

There must be some sort of mathematical equation to calculate the level of bull from the number of times they're used.

kylith

What this woman did was stupid and irresponsible, but the blame has to lie with the families. Anyone who doesn't get treatment because some randomer says so is suffering from terminal stupidity on top of their medical problems.

If I told you to replace the oil in your car with body lotion and you did it and ruined your car it'd be your fault. I may have given bad advice but you're the eejit who did something obviously stupid without talking to a professional.

However psychics and mediums should be obligated to, before every psychic proclamation, state 'There is no evidence that I have any powers whatsoever. This is for entertainment purposes only'.

Duggy747

kylith wrote: »

However psychics and mediums should be obligated to, before every psychic proclamation, state 'There is no evidence that I have any powers whatsoever. This is for entertainment purposes only'.

Yup, especially considering it has to be legally done on any of their programs on TV and websites like at the very bottom of this Irish psychic website. (Look at the fúckin' prices of those phone calls, €2.10 a minute?)

Smart psychics are the ones who legally cover their scamming arses.

conorhal

jd wrote: »

The really annoying thing about this is that premiums for plans that cover this crap are tax deductible. I brought this up with Leo Varadkar and got a response that he agreed that such treatments were horsesh!t but that people should have freedom of choice regarding their treatment! I have the email archived somewhere, I'll dig it up tomorrow.

I think what Leo meant to say to you was 'Do you have any idea how much Chemo and an MRI bleeding costs compared to a bunch of accupuncture needles?'
This is just a publicly funded placebo policy. Even if it does nothing, ah sure it makes them feel better.

This 'psychic' however is actively dammaging people, I suspect that if the woman dies and a successful manslaughter charge is brought against her, that would stop these scammers or at least make them think twice about handing out medical advice.

.

Medusa22

I find it difficult to fathom how someone could go to a psychic at all, or even believe in mediums' abilities. I'd never take medical advice from anyone other than a medical professional.

Having said that though, I do feel empathy for this person and their family, people who are desperate can be very vulnerable and willing to believe anything to make themselves feel better or to cling onto hope, and it is the ''psychic'' at fault here for exploiting and manipulating people like that.

I feel especially sorry for people who have lost a loved one and they desperately want to communicate with the person they've lost, or to find out how they are doing in the afterlife, I think it is particularly cruel when someone takes advantage of a person in that situation. If I lost someone dear to me, I might be suffering with so much grief that I'd be desperate to believe anything to ease the pain.

Sleepy

Just how much legislation are we prepared to enact to counter the evil effects of Darwinism?

DareGod

Candie wrote: »

This is the bit you said that I have a problem with



Their actions might be inexcusable, but so are the 'psychics'. Advising someone to forgo treatment is highly dangerous and questionable, and they certainly deserve some of the responsibility for what happens as a consequence of that action.

In my opinion, of course.

I disagree with the bolded part. The family are fully responsibie for their own actions. Nobody else is responsible for the actions of that family.

The family deciding to forgo chemotherapy treatment was NOT a consequence of the psychic's actions, as you have tried to claim. The family deciding to forgo chemotherapy was a consequence of the family making the conscious decision the take the psychic's advice. Therefore, the psychic had absolutely no part in that family's actions.

That family was not forced to do anything they didn't want to do. To try to hold anybody else responsible for their decision to ignore their doctor is inexcusable and reprehensible. They made their own decision. The psychic certainly didn't force them to ignore their doctor. Unless you have proof otherwise?

And I do always assume that someone's own post is their own opinion.