Charlie Gard: Decision to be made today about further treatment for critically ill baby

Charlie Gard is critically ill and is being kept on life support in Great Ormond Street Hospital


charlie gard
On 24 July 2017

Charlie Gard's parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, will return to court on Monday for a hearing when the judge in the case, Mr Justice Francis, will decide whether the critically ill baby will be allowed to travel to the US to receive nucleoside therapy. The hearing is scheduled for 2pm. Charlie is one of just 16 children in the world to have mitochondrial depletion syndrome, which causes muscle weakness and brain damage. He is being kept on life support at Great Ormond Street Hospital amid a lengthy legal fight by his parents, who have lost their battles in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court in London, to try more treatment in the US.

READ: Donald Trump offers help to parents of terminally ill baby Charlie Gard

© Photo: Rex

Connie and Chris will attend a hearing today

Speaking on Good Morning Britain about her son, Connie said: "Charlie is not suffering. All we want is two to three months to know if it works. There is potential for him to be a completely normal boy, but we don't know – because you don't know until you try. There is new information. There's further scientific research that this medication would work for Charlie. From the doctors, from the team of doctors who agree on this medication. There are now five doctors who agree with us, two of them are in England, one is in Spain, one is in Italy and one is in America."

READ: Charlie Gard's mum says five doctors now believe treatment could help her son

© Photo: Rex

Connie spoke about the case on Good Morning Britain

The parents have also been granted US citizenship so that they can get Charlie medical treatment in the US, with President Donald Trump among those showing his support for the family. He tweeted: "If we can help little #CharlieGard, as per our friends in the U.K. and the Pope, we would be delighted to do so." The Pope also spoke about the case, saying that he was praying that Charlie's parents' wish "to accompany and treat their child until the end is not neglected".

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