London, U.K. – The United Kingdom’s High Court will hear from the parents of a terminally ill infant to determine if the boy should be allowed to undergo medical treatment in the United States.
Little Charlie Gard’s last hope is to undergo experimental treatment in the U.S., a move that has been blocked by European and British courts.
Charlie was born healthy, but he was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease just a month later. The mitochondrial disease has left him with “irreversible” brain damage, according to doctors.
Public protests have taken place in London to stop authorities from taking Charlie off life support.
The Pope and President Donald Trump have both weighed in and offered their help to the family.
The proposed treatment for Charlie, nucleotide bypass surgery, is offered in the U.S. However, even an American specialist said the procedure is unlikely to revers Charlie’s brain damage.
That’s why the British courts ruled the way they did. They say Charlie shouldn’t be the subject of a “medical experiment,” but rather his right to die with dignity comes first.
That’s not the way his parents see it.
Chris Gard said, “Our parental rights have been stripped away, we can’t even take our own son away to die, we’re denied that, d’you not think we’ve been put through enough, our final wish.”
The U.K.’s High Court has set a hearing regarding Charlie’s case for Thursday.
Charlie’s parents will be allowed to submit new evidence showing why the 11-month-old should receive experimental treatment in the States.
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