Critically ill baby Charlie Gard has been receiving an outpouring of support from people around the world. Republican lawmakers in the U.S. have even offered to introduce legislation that would grant Charlie U.S. resident status.
As ChristianHeadlines.com previously reported, Charlie is an 11-month-old baby in the UK who is suffering from an extremely rare disease called infantile onset encephalomyopathic mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, known as MDDS.
The hospital where Charlie has spent his whole life thus far, Greater Ormond Street Hospital, is refusing to treat him further and appealed to the courts. The courts ruled in favor of the hospital and ordered Charlie’s life support to be removed.
This was completely against the wishes of Charlie’s parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates. Gard and Yates want to keep fighting Charlie’s health battle and were hoping to bring him to the U.S. where doctors have developed a new, experimental treatment for his condition.
The court’s decision to terminate Charlie’s life support has met with increasing opposition. Last week, President Trump and Pope Francis offered their support to the Gards, and now, GOP lawmakers have offered to introduce legislation that could help them.
According to Breitbart, Republican lawmakers say the new bill “will support Charlie’s parents’ right to choose what is best for their son, by making Charlie a lawful permanent resident in the U.S. in order for him to receive treatments that could save his life.”
“Despite Charlie’s heartbreaking condition, his parents have refused to give up hope,” said Reps. Brad Wenstrup (OH) and Trent Franks (AZ). “They have advocated for him fiercely. They have raised over £1 million to pay for their son to receive experimental treatment in the United States. They have kept fighting for his life.”
Charlie’s parents have expressed their gratitude for all the support they have received. It has been “amazing,” said Chris Gard and it’s what has been "keeping them going." According to USA Today, he added that it is not their own strength that has kep them fighting, but, he said, "what is strong is our love for that little boy."
Photo: Parents of Charlie Gard, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, leave the Royal Courts of Justice on April 5, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. The crowdfunding campaign raising money for treatment in the US for eight month old Charlie Gard reached its target of £1.2million this weekend. Charlie suffers from a form of mitochondrial disease and is the subject of a dispute over life-support between the Great Ormond Street specialists who are treating him and his parents.
Photo courtesy: Chris J. Ratcliffe/Getty Images
Publication date: July 10, 2017