Lisa Kosack, twelve, described being transfused at midnight on her first night at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children after she had told the nurse she was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses; the hospital sought a court order the next morning, and after a five-day hearing held at the hospital Judge Main found she had been discriminated against on grounds of religion and age under section 15(1) of the Canadian Charter and that her section 7 right to security of the person had been infringed.
Claim ID claim-blood-1994-kosack-midnight-transfusionConcerns 1985Explicit statement
Lisa Kosack, twelve, described being transfused at midnight on her first night at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children after she had told the nurse she was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses; the hospital sought a court order the next morning, and after a five-day hearing held at the hospital Judge Main found she had been discriminated against on grounds of religion and age under section 15(1) of the Canadian Charter and that her section 7 right to security of the person had been infringed. Source: Awake!, 22 May 1994Source: Awake!, 22 May 1994Source: Awake!, 22 May 1994
The organisation’s position or later explanation: The judge described her as ‘a beautiful, extremely intelligent, articulate, courteous, sensitive and, most importantly, a courageous person’ with ‘wisdom and maturity well beyond her years’, and dismissed the application.
22 May 1994 · p.12 · par. 32 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
“At midnight a nurse came in and said: ‘I have to give you some blood.’ I cried out: ‘I can’t take blood because I’m one of Jehovah’s Witnesses! I hope you know that! I hope you know that!’ ‘Well, yes, I do,’ she said, and immediately pulled out my IV and shoved in the blood. I was crying and becoming hysterical.”
Lisa Kosack’s own account, quoted in the article, of her first night at the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto. She was 12 and had acute myeloid leukaemia. The hospital sought a court order the following morning.
Provenance and verification note for Awake!, Youths Who Have “Power Beyond What Is Normal”
Confidence note. Opened on the Watchtower Online Library on 19 September 2026 and the wording, page marker and paragraph confirmed against the article text.
22 May 1994 · p.14 · pars. 46-51 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
“I must find that she has been discriminated against on the basis of her religion and her age pursuant to s. 15(1). In these circumstances, upon being given a blood transfusion, her right to the security of her person pursuant to s. 7 was infringed.”
Extracts printed in the article from the decision of Judge Main. The sections cited are sections 7 and 15(1) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. He also said he refused to make any order that would put the child through the ordeal of a forced transfusion, described her as ‘courageous’ with ‘wisdom and maturity well beyond her years’, and dismissed the application.
Provenance and verification note for Awake!, Youths Who Have “Power Beyond What Is Normal”
Confidence note. Opened on the Watchtower Online Library on 19 September 2026 and the wording, page marker and paragraph confirmed against the article text.
Notes. Reported as Re L.D.K. (1985), 48 R.F.L. (2d) 164 (Ont. Prov. Ct. (Fam. Div.)). The law report itself was not opened; the citation is confirmed from the Supreme Court of Canada.
Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID.src-g94d-kosack-judgment
22 May 1994 · pp.13-14 · pars. 35-44 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
““Do you want to die?” “No, I don’t think anybody wants to die, but if I do die I’m not going to be scared, because I know that I have the hope of everlasting life in a paradise on earth.””
Lisa gave evidence on the fourth day of a five-day hearing held in a room at the hospital before Judge David R. Main, with Lisa present throughout. The article reports that the doctors prescribed multiple transfusions and intensive chemotherapy and put the rate of cure at 30 per cent.
Provenance and verification note for Awake!, Youths Who Have “Power Beyond What Is Normal”
Confidence note. Opened on the Watchtower Online Library on 19 September 2026 and the wording, page marker and paragraph confirmed against the article text.
A direct link to this claim is https://jwtruth.org/evidence/claim-blood-1994-kosack-midnight-transfusion/. Every source above opens the original document or the best available copy. If you believe the wording, date or context is wrong, report an error.