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Pope Francis Backs Charlie Gard’s Parents

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The Holy See is standing behind Charlie Gard’s parents, saying that the critically ill baby’s parents should be allowed to do everything to save their child.

In statement released Sunday evening, the Vatican said that Pope Francis has been following the 10-month-old Gard’s case “with affection and sadness” and is close to the parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates.

For this he prays that their wish to accompany and treat their child until the end isn’t neglected,

the statement said.

Charlie has a rare form of mitochondrial disease, and his parents have been fighting in court. Last week, Chris and Connie lost their appeal to the European court of human rights, the last stage in a long legal battle to fly their child to the USA for an experimental therapy that could help him.

This means that the Great Ormond Street hospital (GOSH) can choose to end the child’s life support and let him die, The Guardian reports.

The Pope’s statement is a change from the Vatican’s earlier position, when a bioethics advisory panel noted that everything should be done to help a patient, but people should also accept the limits of medicine.

Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia of the Pontifical Academy of Life, said on Friday, “We should never act with the deliberate intention to end a human life, including the removal of nutrition and hydration. We do, sometimes, however, have to recognize the limitations of what can be done, while always acting humanely in the service of the sick person until the time of natural death occurs.”

The shift in the Vatican’s position on the matter happened as demonstrators descended on Buckingham Palace on Sunday to protest the ECHR decision. In addition to the ruling, the parents were also told by the hospital that they could not take their son to die at home.

Supporters rallied on Facebook on behalf of the couple to organize the protest. Yates said, “We are really grateful for all the support from the public at this extremely difficult time. We’re making precious memories that we can treasure forever with very heavy hearts. Please respect our privacy while we prepare to say the final goodbye to our son Charlie.”

 

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