Rosemary Kennedy was the sister of former President John F. Kennedy, and her family noticed something was off while she was growing up. During her toddler phase, she was behind her brothers in daily activities like crawling and speaking. She also was known to have multiple behavioral issues and had many temper tantrums. When she started going to school, it was obvious that she had some sort of intellectual difficulty that made her slower than the other students. By age 18, she was only at the intellectual level of a fourth grader while her brothers were excelling in all their classes. Even though she struggled with learning and performing daily tasks, she was still seen participating with her family and having a regular routine.
It all went downhill for Rosemary in November 1941 when her father, Joseph Kennedy, scheduled a lobotomy to be performed on her. For background information, a lobotomy is a surgical procedure done to people with medical illnesses to provide relief to the patient. Keep in mind, during this time period, these types of procedures were not common and they were still being worked on. Even though Mr. Kennedy knew about these risks, he still decided to go ahead with the procedure, without telling his wife. Unfortunately, the surgery was a failure and it ruined Rosemary’s ability to talk and walk. In addition to being mentally disabled, she was now physically disabled. The Kennedys decided to send her to Saint Coletta’s, a Catholic facility for the mentally disabled, and she was kept there for almost six decades.
During Rosemary’s first few years at Saint Coletta’s, she was kept away from her family to work on her treatments. But later, she was reunited with her family and developed a strong bond between her and her sister, Eunice. Eunice grew aware of her sister’s situation and decided to make a change about it. She started doing research and projects on intellectual and developmental disabilities. In the summer of 1962, Eunice started a backyard summer camp for children and adults with disabilities. This very summer camp would later turn into a global competition called Special Olympics. In addition to Eunice’s work, Rosemary’s other family members were doing their part to help people with disabilities. Her sister founded Very Special Arts, an art program designed for those with disabilities. Her brother, John F. Kennedy, helped many care programs and signed major legislations in regards to those with intellectual disabilities.
I think that Rosemary’s story helped thousands of people all around the world to become their best selves and live their best lives. I think that it was very wrong for her father to schedule such a complicated surgery for Rosemary without all of her family knowing about it. I understand that they did many different things to help her like special treatment and programs, but doing such a risky surgery without much experience was a disaster waiting to happen. Even though Rosemary had a difficult time, she still was able to live until the age 86 and she had a very fulfilling life. Rosemary is recognized all over the world and she has changed many lives during and after her lifetime.
Do you think Rosemary should or shouldn’t have gotten the procedure?
Was it right that her father made her get the surgery?
If you were in Rosemary’s place, would you want the surgery even if there was a high risk?
Rosemary Kennedy - The Eldest Kennedy Daughter
Replies
A lot of good things came from her sharing her story and her stuggles.
I do not think Rosemary should have gotten the procedure just with all the risks and is was still new-ish. It was wrong that her father made her get the surgery all together, but it is worse that he even went behind his wife back to do it. I would not want that surgery if I was in her place.
I agree that it was not right that her dad made her get this procedure without anyone else's opinion on it.
I think she should have gotten the prodedure if it was her decision, not her father's or someone else's. Of course it was not right, wether it was for a good cause or not, it really has to do with what his daugther decides, because at the end of the day the one who is going to have or recieved the surgery is going to be her, Rosemary. I think I would think a lot about wether to do it or not.
I think it is a good point that it should be Rosemary's choice because it is her life and future.
I don't think that she deserved this surgery to be done to her when she doesn't deserve it. I don't think that her father had the right to decide if she had it because it shouldn't be his choice to decide that. I don't think that I would have done this because there are way less benefits than compared to the amount of risk there is it just wouldn't be worth it.
I personally don't think she should have got this surgery done to her. I also don't think the father should have made her get the surgery because it's ultimately not his choice. I don't think I would have done this surgery because the benefits really aren't that great compared to the risk.
I dont think that she should have gotten this surgery done to her. I don't think the father should have made her get the surgery because it's her choice and I was not finished. I don't think I wold be as it wasn't crazy beneficial or good.
I don't think that she should have gotten the surgery. I don't think that her father should have made her get the surgery because it was not finished. I don't think I would of because it wasn't crazy benificial.
I don't think Rosemary should not have gotten the surgery ecspecially with her father making the decision on his own. Lobotomys are not effective and often cause more harm then help. It was not worth it to cause so much damage with only a small possibility of any improvement,
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