Samantha, The Face Of The International Medical Diversity Movement

International Medical Diversity is a movement to accept developmental disabilities in children as a natural occurrence of life, and not grounds for state intervention.

In loving memory of Samantha Lauren Martin.   Family-centred care is imperative to successful strengthening of society as a whole.

Samantha Lauren Martin,

Sunrise June 4, 1993 - Sunset December 3, 2006.

The purpose of this site is to educate; to promote better care practice for all children and vulnerable persons. Although it is natural to feel bitterness when betrayed, it is imperative to emerge from tragedy victoriously. That means, replacing ugliness with positive directive. Samantha's space is not intended to be a hate campaign, rather it is here as a vehicle to secure justice, healing and hope. Please honour the beautiful girl that walks above us instead of beside us now. Factual posting is encouraged, hatred is not. Samantha freely extended love so we must continue to honour her valiantly while ensuring accountabiity through factual means.

"It matters to this one and it matters to me."

What happened to Samantha Lauren Martin
In a nutshell, parents gave birth to a child with a little girl with a rare chromosomal disorder.  Because of this, the Government of Alberta, Canada placed her in foster care.  End result, the child was murdered.


Samantha's Law
The purpose of this proposed legislation is to allow for medical diversity in diagnosis and treatment of children with disabilities.  Current thought, not exclusive to Canada, is to remove these children, place them in foster care and adopt them out to lessen the financial burdens of the state for national reimbursement of costs.  


"Samantha's Law" Amendment to the Alberta FSCD (Family Support for Children with Disabilities) Act, was enacted retroactive to Samantha's death in December 2006: "The Family Support for Children with Disabilities Program to have separate legislation from that of child protection services." Section 2-3, Manual Amendments: Policy and Procedures in Family Centred Supports and Services:


Alberta, Canada Family Support For Children With Disabilities Act 2003
In the United States and the United Kingdom, there are financial incentives for adoptive parents to adopt disabled children with relatively little to no medical assistance to natural parents.  Private insurance companies will not pay for the treatment of these children and have participated in the design of these federal funding schemes.


The issue is not centralized to Canada.  It is international.  The international medical diversity movement is the inspiration of Velvet Martin, the mother of Samantha.  Meet Velvet:

In Celebration of the Importance of Life & Loving Memory of:

Samantha Lauren Martin,

Sunrise June 4, 1993 - Sunset December 3, 2006.