Hospital apologizes in Pa. transplant case

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia says it’s sorry for the way it handled a dispute over whether a disabled 3-year-old girl was eligible for a kidney transplant.

The parents of Amelia Rivera say doctors initially told them their daughter wasn’t eligible because of a mental disability caused by Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. A blog post by her mother, Chrissy Rivera, spawned a public outcry. But last month, her parents said she was now being considered for the procedure.

Today, the hospital and the Riveras released a joint statement.

The hospital says they regret that they “communicated in a manner that did not clearly reflect our policies or intent and apologize for the Riveras’ experience.” The Riveras, who are from Stratford, N.J., say they still hold the hospital in high regard.

No decision on the girl’s candidacy has been made.