Refine Search

She Fought for Her Faith

THREE years ago Caridad Bazán Listán, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Cádiz, Spain, urgently needed an operation. Gallstones were causing fever and were poisoning her bloodstream. When she was admitted to the local hospital, she explained her Bible-based position of refusing to accept a blood transfusion. The doctors agreed to perform the operation without blood. However, just before she was taken into the operating room, the doctors asked her to sign a document. It indicated that they were willing to respect her decision regarding blood but that if an emergency occurred, they wanted her permission to administer whatever treatment might be deemed necessary.

A congregation elder who was present at the hospital and Caridad’s son, also a Witness, advised Caridad of the implications of signing such a form. Her signature would have authorized the doctors to transfuse blood in the event of an emergency. When the medical personnel came to take her into the operating room, she explained that she was not going to sign the paper. She was summarily returned to her room and put under intense pressure to change her mind.

After several conversations they decided to call the forensic judge so that he could convince her, but it was to no avail. Caridad explained that she felt she would be guilty before God if she allowed them to give her blood. She pointed out that under the Mosaic Law, if a woman was raped, she was not considered guilty if she resisted by screaming for help. (Deuteronomy 22:23-27) “The doctors are ignoring my wishes and are attempting to violate my conscience,” she said, “so I must resist just as if they were raping me.”

Several hours passed, and finally the doctors agreed to operate on her without blood. In the operating room, Caridad asked permission to pray to Jehovah. This she did, and the operation was a success.

Nevertheless, afterward Caridad’s condition worsened, and the doctors decided to disregard her wishes and force a blood transfusion on her. Thus, a doctor and a nurse prepared to give her a transfusion. Despite her weak condition, Caridad resisted with all her strength. She even managed to bite the tube through which the blood was to pass. Finally, the doctor felt so ashamed of what they were doing that he desisted. “I can’t go through with this. I’m throwing in the towel!” he said.

Caridad survived the crisis and recovered without further complications. Both the doctors and the nurses could not fail to be deeply impressed by her faith and courage. All of this occurred when Caridad was 94 years old.