Connie Yates and Chris Gard “uttered a ‘no!’ of despair” when the judge deemed that doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London should switch off the life support machine keeping their 8 month-old son, Charlie, alive. Charlie Gard is suffering from a mitochondrial disease that has damaged his brain.
Whereas the experts consulted by the court believed that Charlie could never be cured, his parents wanted to take him to the United States to participate in a clinical trial to treat his condition. A campaign carried out on behalf of their child allowed Connie Yates and Chris Gard to raise over £1.2 million via the Internet to finance this treatment.
According to the family lawyer, Laura Hobey-Hamsher, the parents who were “devastated” by the legal decision are considering taking their case to appeal.
AFP (11/04/2017)