Child ST Campaign
2024A seasoned journalist, Inderdeep Bains has consistently demonstrated her unwavering commitment to giving a voice to the voiceless, holding those in power to account and exposing injustice.
Her commitment to public interest journalism was showcased in her extraordinary coverage of the case of Sudiksha Thirumalesh, a teenager who died while locked in a legal battle with the NHS.
Doctors had concluded treating the 19-year-old, who suffered from the same rare mitochondrial disease as baby Charlie Gard, and deemed it futile and that life-sustaining treatment should be withdrawn.
Despite Sudiksha’s ability to communicate and express her desire to ‘die trying to live’, the NHS argued in court that her refusal to accept her prognosis was delusional and indicative of a lack of mental capacity.
As a result, a judge sided with the NHS in a controversial ruling stating that the bright student was incapable of making her own medical decisions and that her fate should be decided by the courts.
A stringent gagging order had shrouded the case in secrecy reducing Sudiksha’s identity to the initials ‘ST’ and barring public discussion of the specifics of her case, effectively silencing her voice and stifling vital debates around patient autonomy and ethical decision-making in healthcare.
This legal restriction not only denied Sudiksha the chance to share her story but also shielded the NHS Trust involved from scrutiny, raising critical questions about transparency and accountability in such high-stakes medical cases.
In the face of these legal limitations, Bains was committed to ensuring Sudiksha had a voice and that her story reached the public.
She skillfully navigated the legal complexities of the case, challenging the gagging order while abiding by its boundaries.
Through a series of compelling articles, Bains brought the human element of Sudiksha’s legal struggle to light, transforming her into more than just a case number to a vibrant teenager with dreams and aspirations, trapped in a system seemingly designed to silence her.
The resulting exclusive front-page story began with Sudiksha’s haunting words: “By the time you read this, I could be dead. That’s according to my doctors who, for the last year, have repeatedly told me that I have only days to live.”
The powerful article, which conveyed the heartbreaking powerlessness the teenager clearly felt, sparked widespread calls for reform in how end-of-life decisions are handled.
Bains’ reporting did not stop at storytelling; it spurred tangible change. Her work prompted the mental health charity Mind to join Sudiksha’s parents in challenging the controversial capacity ruling.
Their eventual success in overturning this decision has set a precedent that protects other patients’ rights when disagreeing with their doctors, highlighting the profound impact of Bains’ journalism.
Her dedication was further recognised when Sudiksha’s family invited Bains to speak at their daughter’s funeral, acknowledging the critical role she played in amplifying Sudiksha’s voice.
