Charlie Gard

NellD I think you are bring incredibly unkind about the doctors who spend their lives caring for such terribly ill children- they do not turn to the law as soon as they are challenged. The GOSH face book page has many tributes from parents who have actually experienced the care the hospital provides and they say how tremendously the staff cared for, worked with and supported them during such a heartbreaking time. Doctors and nurses in these situation cry themselves when a child dies.and your comment about young fit people is sheer hyperbole. In fact the problem with older people and medical care is that we can't easily decide for ourselves when we want to go

I feel so sorry for the staff at GOSH - these are some of the best paediatricians and specialist nurses in the world - they can only do and advise what they think is best for the CHILD. People such as Trump and random members of the public getting involved while knowing nothing about Charlie's medical condition is appalling. I fear the parents are now backed into a corner and have to continue their fight whether it is right or not.

As annsixty said - just because we can does not mean we should.

But Sulis that is predicated on the treatment doing no harm and that his little life is not full of pain - we don't know that do we? As I said earlier, on the MN thread are moving posts from mothers who have decided with doctors that enough is enough and have let their child go - they also deeply loved their children unconditionally

I think that the medical profession needs to learn how to deal with parents of seriously/terminally ill children better, not turn to the law as soon as they are challenged in their decisions and generally stop playing god.
I'm fed up with the use of the term "quality of life" as an excuse to turn off the life support system or withdraw treatment. Judging a person by the way they experience the world is such an outdated idea. I wonder how many of us here would be refused treatment by young fit people because they hate the thought of being old? Obviously it's all down to social prejudices against the disabled, aged and just plain different
I'm of the opinion that if the parents want to try a new treatment abroad, let them.
Doctors aren't gods.

Christine, I didn't even suggest you were not entitled to your opinion, I respect it, but I also respect everyone is entitled to their opinions , be it you who know the difficulties for those with learning difficulties or the Pope who believes in right to life.

I have not supported either way, I have questioned judgement on quality of life

I find this case incredibly difficult - I accept that poor little Charlie has no real chance of any major improvement, but suppose this new treatment gave him some better quality of life, the parents would always feel they'd done the right thing and they should be allowed that hope.

When Lord Winston, a respected and world paediatric expert, speaks out to say that there's no hope, then it's time to call it a day and let little Charlie die in peace. His mother is in denial and whilst I sympathise, I think the time has come to say goodbye.

"Why does only perfect health equal a happy life ?"

Annie it is beyond ridiculous to suggest that this is what Christinefrance - or anyone else - was saying.

Considering the totally unconditional love I have for my own son, and that I would move heaven and earth for him if I found myself in the same position as Charlie's parents, they should be allowed to try this treatment for him. As he can hardly get any worse, why not try? How could you live with yourself if you didn't go the extra mile?

I was surprised last night, when parents on news, said they knew better than the doctors.

ab no one has said that only perfect health =a happy life. It's not a dichotomous situation but there is clearly a wide spectrum of health and it seems that Charlie is at the far end of it. As for the role of the pro-lifers, well this 'pastor' is using Charlie to further his agenda, those of us who think letting Charlie go are not using him to further our - well what would you call it- 'anti-life' agenda. This pastor is bad news and will only use this case whilst it serves his agenda - he'll then be on to the next cause celebre. As a pp has said, the very idea that you have to come over here to be able to pray effectively....

Anniebach I was not suggesting that perfect health equals a perfect life. I have worked in Mental Health and with people with learning disabilities all my working life so maybe am entitled to my opinion.

Because he has no quality of life Anniebach and I m sure this has been the case for any baby born with a huge magnitude of medical problems we just haven't heard of it because the parents of most terminally ill babies who are probably suffering haven't tried to fight the system I m not sure what child of his major problems you think has had help ?
The baby can't see, can't hear, can't breath unaided, he has brain damage, heart liver and kidney abnormalities he can't move because his muscles are too weak he can't even make a noise...... even with the experimental meds he wouldn't be expected to improve just prolong his life a little
How can this be fair to him or the family

Annie the case you cite is true but a totally different situation from this.

Why should nature take it's course for one child but not another .

What I find unfair is Pro life campaigners are critcised for allegedly interfering , surely anyone who says the child should die are interfering too?

Annsixty you took the words out my mouth I was then going to say just because we have the ability to keep him in some kind of limbo life doesn't mean we should I think it is very different from the little lad with cancer he was a normal ability child who became ill and another country had a different form of treatment which I felt he should have been allowed to receive and yes it paid off. This little lad is very different he would not be alive at all a decade or so ago, I think he has no ability to do anything not even breathe alone I can totally understand the parents hanging on to the tiniest sign of hope but I think it's wicked the way Trump et al have all come out of the woodwork I believe the latest is the medicine has been offered to him here in this country if that can be done the parents will be able to rest that they ve done everything but I agree I think they are being emotionally revved up and manipulated for headlines
In this case nature should take its course

I don't know annsixty,

Do you think his life is happy Annie? Or that of his parents? He is very seriously I'll and severely disabled child who will need hospital care and probably life support forever.
Just because we can doesn't mean we should.

Forgotten the name if the family who were arrested for taking their child to another country for treatment, the NHS is now going to treat the same illness that child suffered from.

of course, we all feel for this baby and his parents but I do believe his interests are being lost in what has become a campaign to keep him alive at any cost. He is a very sick baby and without wishing to sound heartless, it seems to me that the medical options have been fully considered and the least worst solution for this baby reached.
The staff at GOSH and the parents of other very sick children seem to be having to walk the gauntlet of the so called Charlie's Army. I read this morning that a pastor from the US is complaining that he wasn't allowed to pray at Charlie's bedside. Those who believe in the power of prayer will also believe prayer doesn't need to happen in the immediate vicinity of the people being prayed for.
It is totally out of control.

Why does only perfect health equal a happy life ?

It's time this whole media circus around poor little Charlie was stopped. So many people who should know better exploiting both the grief of the parents and Charlie himself. There is no way of reversing the damage which has been done and he has barely any quality of life. As others have said as an adult if he survived, life would be so limited and painful.
I would not want to be faced with the decision the parents have to make but think they have got caught up in the fight to save him without thought of the consequences. Words cannot express the sadness I feel for the little family

The way I see it, if the baby makes only a slight recovery he is only going to have half a life. He could outlive his parents and spend the rest of his sad life in an institution. I think the time has come to let go.

I don't think people really understand how difficult it is to transport a patient across the world whilst on life support. The parents are not the ones who would be responsible for the medical care and what if he died mid Atlantic ? Blame and court cases and never ending heartache.

So sad, but I think it's getting uncomfortable now for everyone.