Charlie Gard's parents should be allowed to care for him until the end, Pope Francis says

Charlie Gard's life support was due to be turned off on Friday
PA
Jessica Morgan3 July 2017

The Pope has called for parents of critically ill Charlie Gard to be allowed to "accompany and treat their child until the end".

In a statement, the Vatican said Pope Francis is "following with affection and sadness the case of little Charlie Gard and expresses his closeness to his parents".

"For this he prays that their wish to accompany and treat their child until the end is not neglected," the statement added.

Devastated parents Chris Gard and Connie Yates are spending the last days of their 10-month-old son’s life with him after being given more time before his life-support is switched off.

The baby, who suffers from a rare genetic condition and has brain damage, is being cared for at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).

His case has been the centre of a lengthy legal battle between his parents, who wanted him to undergo a therapy trial in the United States. But specialists at the hospital who fought the bid said the treatment was experimental would not help him.

The couple released an emotional video on Thursday saying that they had been told Charlie would die the next day.

Chris Gard and Connie Yates lost their legal battle to take Charlie to the US for treatment 
PA

On Friday the couple tweeted a picture of them sleeping on either side of their son in hospital alongside the hashtags #jesuisCharlieGard #charliesfight #letcharliegohome.

They said they had been denied their final wish to be able to take their son home to die and felt “let down” after losing their legal fight.

Charlie’s parents, both in their 30s and from Bedfont, west London, had asked European court judges in Strasbourg, France, to consider their claim after judges in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court in London ruled in favour of GOSH doctors.

But last week the European Court of Human Rights refused to intervene.

On Sunday, campaigners carrying a banner that said “Its Murder” gathered outside Buckingham Palace to protest against the court’s decision.

Other posters with pictures of Charlie said “Where there’s life, there’s hope” and “parental rights”.

The family have received donations totaling more than £1.3million.

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