The world is waiting with baited breath to know the fate of Charlie Gard.
The 11-month-old was sentenced to death by his own government despite his parents’ wishes.
The judge in his case last week allowed for the physician from the United States who’d offered Charlie’s parents experimental treatment, Dr. Michio Hirano, to come and examine Charlie. That examination took place on Monday, and Charlie also received his first brain scan since April.
His parents, Chris and Connie, are optimistic.
It’s not too late for you to show your support for Charlie by signing our petition. He needs all the support he can get, especially in these next crucial days. Signing the petition also signs you up for our update emails on his story.
Dr. Hirano spent five hours at the hospital where he was granted full rights as the hospital’s own clinicians, giving him full access to Charlie’s medical records, diagnostic images, and other files.
Charlie’s doctors at the hospital claim he has irreversible brain damage and his condition is “beyond hope.” Dr. Hirano, who specializes in Charlie’s rare form of mitochondrial depletion syndrome, claims his experimental treatment could give Charlie a 56% chance of “meaningful improvement.”
Discussions between Dr. Hirano and other medical experts will continue today (Tuesday).
The Hospital still maintains the position that Charlie should be granted death with dignity, though Charlie’s parents continue to fight for his right to fight for his life.
Charlie’s story brings up important questions we must face seriously regarding life, death, and what human dignity means.
Who gets to decide if an individual’s life has value? Who’s the expert on this? And should experts have the final say over the parents of the person in question?
If we deem the life has no value, then can we take it?
Can we remove life-support from individuals dependent on it for their continued breath?
Charlie is 11 months old now and fighting for his life. His parents have vowed to continue fighting as long as he is.
As the world is watching, what will the government, the hospital, the doctors, and others do for Charlie? Sentence him to “death with dignity” against his parents’ wishes, or give him a fighting chance at life?
