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An unexpected turning point occurred in the case of young Marwa, aged 18 and residing with her family in Antwerp, Belgium, after her relatives decided, at the last minute, to reverse the decision to interrupt life support. This about-face occurred following the appearance of new clinical signs, calling into question previous medical conclusions which excluded any possibility of regaining consciousness

Hospitalized for almost a month following a severe cerebral hemorrhage that occurred within her school, the young patient had undergone several surgical interventions, including four major operations, as well as various medical procedures intended to reduce intracranial pressure and stabilize his vital functions

An external medical opinion, from a neurologist, concluded that the prognosis was unfavorable, an analysis confirmed by the medical team at the Antwerp University Hospital, paving the way for the activation of the treatment cessation procedure, including artificial ventilation, in accordance with the Belgian legal framework. However, during a recent visit, the parents noticed reactions that they considered unprecedented, in particular the opening and closing of the eyes in response to the call of his first name, as well as a slight movement of the tongue after a direct request from his mother. According to the family’s lawyer, Me John Thon, these manifestations differ from the automatic reflexes observed previously and justify, in the eyes of the loved ones, an immediate reassessment of the young girl’s neurological condition. Faced with these new elements, the hospital management has decided to temporarily suspend the procedure for stopping life support, pending a new in-depth examination by a team specialized in neurology, especially since the doctors concerned were not present at the time of the appearance of these signs

The file will also be resubmitted to the external specialist who issued the second opinion, in order to compare the recent data with the initial diagnosis and to clarify the continuation of medical care.