More than 350,000 people have signed a petition demanding that terminally ill 11-month-old Charlie Gard be allowed to receive treatment in the United States after multiple European Courts repeatedly shot down the parents’ appeal.
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His parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, have made global news in the fight for their son’s life.
Last week, just days after receiving a devastating verdict from the European Court of Human Rights, Chris and Connie delivered the petition to the staff at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, where their son is essentially being held hostage until his life support machine is shut off.
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“He’s our son, he’s our flesh and blood. We feel that it should be our right as parents to decide to give him a chance at life,” Connie said in a statement.
Last week, both President Donald Trump and Pope Francis spoke out in support of Charlie, offering refuge and solace wherever they are allowed. Two members of congress have urged Trump to grant the child American citizenship—however the battle still lies within the walls of Great Ormond Street Hospital.
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The petition has also launched a new appeal with the High Court which will be re-heard Monday morning.
Britain’s justice secretary has since released a statement saying the government won’t play a role in deciding the medical treatment of Charlie Gard. The decision will be made by judges acting “independent and dispassionately” based on the facts of the complicated case.
Chris and Connie’s lawyer says recently surfaced data on treatment for Charlie could produce “dramatic clinical improvement,” so a High Court judge has agreed to review “fresh evidence” on the case. According to BBC, “Lawyers representing the family have now said using ‘cutting edge genetic science’ there was a ‘small chance’ of brain recovery and that it was a chance ‘worth taking.'”
As previously reported by Faithit, Charlie was born healthy in August of 2016, but was diagnosed with an extremely rare DNA disorder at just two months old. Mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome is a terminal condition believed to have only been found in 16 people ever. It causes rapid weakening of the muscles and brain damage—making treatments almost completely nonexistent.