Charlie Gard’s parents’ lose their Supreme Court appeal to take him to America

Charlie Gard

by Siam Goorwich |
Published on

10-month-old Charlie Gard will have his life support turned off after his parents lost their Supreme Court appeal

Chris Gard and Connie Yates - the parent's of 10-month-old Charlie Gard - have lost their Supreme Court appeal to take their son to America for experimental medical treatment.

Little Charlie suffers from mitochondrial depletion syndrome - a devastating genetic disease which causes progressive muscle weakness and brain damage, for which there's currently no cure.

But while doctors at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital - where Charlie is currently being cared for - believe that his life support machine should be switched off, Charlie's parents desperately want to take their son to America for some experimental nucleoside treatment.

Charlie Gard
Charlie and his mum Connie (Credit: Instagram/ charliesfight) ©Instagram/ charliesfight

Despite the fact that Charlie's parents' have raised an incredible £1.3million towards taking their son to America, it doesn't look like they'll be able to do so, after today's Supreme Court ruling.

Speaking after the ruling, Richard Gordon QC, who represents Charlie's parents, said: "Charlie's parents have made a decision, it's not a wish, it's a decision, to try to keep all options open and retain life for their child.

"The state is not entitled to cause a child's life to be extinguished."

Charlie Gard
Little Charlie with his dad Chris (Credit: Instagram/ charliesfight) ©Instagram/ charliesfight

However experts at Great Ormond Street don't believe the treatment in America will be able to help Charlie, and are instead fighting for his life machine to be turned off.

Describing the severity of Charlie's condition, Katie Gollop QC - who led Great Ormond Street's legal team - explained that little Charlie can't see, hear, move, cry or swallow.

She commented: "He is on a machine which causes his lungs to move up and down because his lungs cannot go up and down.

"Fundamentally the parents don't accept the facts... they don't accept that nucleoside therapy will be futile."

Do you think Charlie's parents' should be allowed to take him to America, or should they listen to the experts at Great Ormond Street? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter

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