New hope for Baby Charlie Gard's parents

New hope for Baby Charlie Gard's parents
By Euronews
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Court gives parents of terminally ill baby, Charlie Gard, two days to present new evidence of effective treatment

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A UK court has given the parents of Charlie Gard, a critically-ill eleven-month-old child, two days to provide new evidence that their son would benefit from experimental treatment.

It follows an emotional court hearing during which his parents said a US doctor had suggested the treatment could have a 10 percent chance of working for Charlie.

Family friend Alasdair Seton-Marsden spoke for parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard:

“Charlie’s parents look forward to new evidence being heard before the High Court this Thursday, the 13th of July that will result in Charlie’s parents taking him to either United States of America or to Italy for groundbreaking treatment.”

The London court’s judge, Mr Justice Francis said he would be “delighted” to reverse the decision he made in April not to allow the young boy to be flown to the US for medical care, but that it would take “drastic” new evidence for him to do so. While he agreed that a 10 percent chance of survival was significant, Francis said that evidence must be supplied before Thursday’s hearing which could decide Charlie’s fate.

After a series of court battles, the family have been offered support by US President Donald Trump and the Pope, the latter having sent a tweet offering to help.

Charlie Gard’s Mother Thanks Trump, Pope Francis For Keeping Baby Alive https://t.co/cTfwgK4ySqpic.twitter.com/qxKdsGKUhN

— The Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) July 10, 2017

Charlie, who suffers from a rare mitochondrial disease caused by a genetic defect, is currently on life support at London’s Great Ormond Street children’s hospital.

The court ruling has given mother Connie Yates a new optimism:

“We’re more hopeful now but obviously we’ve been through absolute hell, all these court cases and, you know, we want what’s best for our son. We’re the ones who sit with him 24 hours a day, we couldn’t do it if he was suffering or in pain. He’s not, currently he’s still fighting so we’re still fighting. We’ve always said that. We just want to be able to give him a chance and let’s leave no stone unturned, said Charlie’s mother Connie Yates.”

Courts have previously denied parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard the right to send Charlie to the US on the grounds it would prolong his suffering.

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