Man Skips Mom’s Funeral After Discovering Sister’s Actions That Led To Her Tragic Passing

A son’s world crumbled when his mother’s early-stage cancer, once treatable, worsened dramatically under a chiropractor’s unproven regimen of juices, enemas, and misleading blood tests claiming improvement.

As her designated health proxy, the sister blocked urgent hospital care and even withheld prescribed hospice comfort drugs amid visible agony, insisting on alternatives like applesauce instead. Siblings clung to the view that it had been her decision, leaving the son torn between exposing the unqualified practitioner and shielding the fractured family from more devastation.

Man skips mom’s funeral over misinformation and family denial after alternative cancer care led to preventable suffering.

The core issue boils down to a mom’s autonomy clashing with what many see as dangerous misinformation: opting for alternative approaches that delayed or denied evidence-based care, ultimately allowing the cancer to advance unchecked.

From one side, the family insists it was mom’s informed choice. She trusted the holistic path and handed proxy power accordingly. Supporters argue adults have the right to decide their care, even if it veers from mainstream advice, and that blaming survivors adds unnecessary hurt during grief.

But the opposing view hits hard: relying on unproven methods like misinterpreted blood tests from a non-oncologist can mislead patients into thinking they’re improving when they’re not.

A landmark study from Yale School of Medicine, analyzing over 1.68 million cancer cases, found that patients suffering from different types of cancer who chose alternative therapies as initial treatment (instead of conventional options like surgery, chemo, or radiation) faced significantly worse outcomes.

Skyler Johnson, M.D., who led the research, emphasized: “There’s an increased risk of death with choosing alternative medicine, and that’s something patients should consider when making their treatment decisions.”

Then there’s the hospice phase: denying comfort medications like those for pain and agitation, despite visible distress, raises red flags about suffering.

In one analysis from the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, the obligation to treat pain remains paramount, even amid family objections, as withholding needed relief intensifies already severe suffering.

Andrea Enzinger, MD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, has noted how restrictions and fears can lead to undertreatment: “Opioids are the cornerstone of managing moderate to severe cancer pain… undertreatment of cancer pain is a major problem in the U.S.”

The neutral takeaway? Honoring a loved one’s choices matters, but so does protecting vulnerable people from harm and ensuring informed decisions. Therapy, open family talks, or palliative care consults early on might help bridge gaps.

Reporting unqualified practitioners protects others, while self-care like skipping events that feel toxic preserves your healing space.

Let’s dive into the reactions from Reddit:

Some people strongly condemn the sister for denying pain medication to the dying mother.

Some people express deep sympathy for the OP’s loss and urge self-care over attending the funeral.

Some people share personal stories of skipping funerals due to family resentment or caregiving burdens.

Some people urge reporting the sister for elder abuse in addition to the chiropractor, viewing her actions as dangerous.

In the end, this story reminds us grief isn’t one-size-fits-all. Some heal by gathering, others by quiet reflection and protecting their peace. Therefore, skipping the event doesn’t erase love, it honors a different kind of farewell.

Do you think the Redditor’s choice to bow out and report the chiropractor strikes the right balance, or should family unity trump everything here? How would you handle clashing beliefs during such a raw time? Drop your thoughts below, we’re all ears.