US hospital offers to help parents of Charlie Gard

It’s been a long and heart-breaking case.

Little Charlie Gard, who was diagnosed with mitochondrial depletion syndrome, has had yet more offers of help. The 11-month-old’s condition causes brain damage and muscle reduction meaning Charlie currently can only survive on life support as he’s unable to breathe by himself. He also cannot cry, hear, move, swallow or see.

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The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled last week that Charlie should be allowed die as the treatment he is currently receiving would simply continue significant harm as doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital said there are no options left and the experimental treatment (nucleoside) his parents are fighting for would be futile. Speaking to Good Morning Britain today, Charlie’s mum Connie Yates said,

“We are not bad parents, we are there for him all the time, we are completely devoted to him and he's not in pain and suffering, and I promise everyone I would not sit there and watch my son in pain and suffering, I couldn't do it.”

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Connie and her partner Chris Gard wrote a letter to the Pope in a bid to bring them some reassurance.

“It does give us a hope because there was no hope left. Charlie was going to die on Friday and… we were absolutely devastated… We had no control over the way it was done. And then it was going to be on the Monday instead but I think the White House got involved over the weekend and then that changed things.”

Now, New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Centre has offered to admit little Charlie, as long as certain provisions can be taken care of.

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According to the BBC the US hospital agreed to,

 “…admit and evaluate Charlie, provided that arrangements are made to safely transfer him to our facility, legal hurdles are cleared, and we receive emergency approval from the FDA for an experimental treatment as appropriate.” “Alternatively, if approved by the FDA, we will arrange shipment of the experimental drug to Great Ormond Street Hospital and advise their medical staff on administering it if they are willing to do so.”