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There is potential for him to be a completely normal boy, Charlie Gard’s anguished mum tells GMB

New evidence suggests there is a 10% chance experimental medication could work on the baby

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Charlie Gard’s desperate mum took time away from her poorly baby’s bedside this morning to tell Good Morning Britain viewers that there is still hope.

Connie explained that new scientific evidence has come to light that the experimental medication she and Charlie’s dad Chris want to test on their son could be successful.

There are 18 other people in the world with the 11-month-old’s condition and, Connie explained, there has been compelling evidence that treatment is working.

“[There have been] amazing responses very quickly in 18 patients,” she said. “One girl went from just being able to open her eyes to six months later, being able to run around. One was, like Charlie, on a ventilator, one year later they were later running around on a bike.”

Asked by today’s hosts Ben Shephard and Kate Garraway how she and Chris are coping, Connie opened up about their nightmare.

“Absolute living hell,” she said. “You can’t put into words how horrible it is that he’s our flesh and blood and we don’t have a say in his life whatsoever. We are not bad parents, we are devoted to him.”

Connie revealed that she had just given her son his first haircut, as “he was starting to look like the Nutty Professor”, and she was keeping the cuttings.

She does the same with his nails too, admitting: “I keep the clippings in case it’s the last time I cut them.”

The exhausted mum went on to explain that Charlie was originally due to die last Friday; the date of his ventilator being switched off was then moved to Monday and then – as she understands it – the White House “got involved and changed things”.

Asked what kind of hope there was if they were allowed to proceed with the experimental medication, Connie said:

“There is a 10 % chance, I think that is worth it.

“Everybody wants to live. My little boy is just lying there. It’s his best interest to have a chance at life.

Charlie and his family have gained support from all over the world as Charlie’s ‘army’ fight for him to stay alive.

As the case goes global, supporters from countries including America, France, Spain and Italy are reaching out through social media, reportedly posting a message every single second in a bid to save him.

Charlie suffers with mitochondrial depletion syndrome, a condition which causes muscle weakness and brain damage. Only 16 people in the world are said to ever have had the condition and his parents, Connie Yates and Chris Gard, have been fighting through the courts to be allowed to take him to America for experimental treatment.

Read more: Donald Trump vows to help terminally ill Charlie Gard

The European Court of Humans Rights ruled last week that little Charlie should have his life support machine switched off.

Earlier this week, the Pope and US president Donald Trump vowed to help the terminally ill baby, and now in America a tweet or Facebook post is allegedly being written about the tot every second.

People are using the hashtags #JeSuisCharlieGard and #SaveCharlieGard so much they are now trending.

The social media outlets are also being used to organise protests across the country to save Charlie’s life.

Politicians such as Theresa May and Boris Johnson are also being tweeted as supporters beg them to intervene and give the little one a chance at survival.

With many posting paintings of mothers protecting their babies, some supporters have now claimed their posts are being classed as spam and have been censored.

Charlie’s family have claimed their campaign account page @Fight4Charlie has been censored so have set up a new page @charliesfight.

The little one’s life support was initially due to be switched off last Friday, but Great Ormond Street hospital reportedly gave the family a few more days to say goodbye.

The US President intervened on Monday, writing on Twitter: “If we can help little #CharlieGard, as per our friends in the U.K. and the Pope, we would be delighted to do so.”

Trump’s lawyer, Jay Sekulow, also tweeted: “I have contacted my office in Strasbourg, France to intervene in support of baby #CharlieGard’s family. We must always fight for life.”

Hours after Trump offered to help the tot it’s understood that an American hospital then offered to treat Charlie for free if he is allowed to travel to the States.

Chris and Connie managed to raise over £1.3 million to take him to America but were previously told the tot was too ill to travel the distance.

While medical experts said the treatment wouldn’t be able to save Charlie’s life.

A White House spokesperson has said: “Upon learning of baby Charlie Gard’s situation, President Trump has offered to help the family in this heartbreaking situation.

“Although the President himself has not spoken to the family, he does not want to pressure them in any way.

“Members of the administration have spoken to the family in calls facilitated by the British government.”

“The President is just trying to be helpful if at all possible.

“Due to legal issues, we cannot confirm the name of doctor or hospital where the baby could be treated in the United States,” they added.

The Pope has also offered his support through a statement released by The Vatican. It said the Pope is following the case with “affection and sadness”.

It also added: “For them he prays, hoping that their desire to accompany and care for their own child to the end is not ignored.”

The Vatican children’s hospital has appealed for Charlie to be transferred to his care, but foreign secretary Boris Johnson has said it’s not possible for Charlie to be moved.

Read more: Holly and Phillip openly weep as mum describes her son’s death

Earlier this year, Connie and Chris left This Morning viewers in tears after explaining they had just one month to save the life of their baby boy.

Speaking on the ITV daytime show back in March, Connie made a desperate plea for people to help save her son.

She said: “We can’t just let our baby die when there is hope and treatment available that might help him.

“If Charlie receives this treatment and it does work it won’t just be his life that’s saved, it will be many more children in future who are born with this horrible disease.

“Like any loving parents, we will do whatever it takes to save our baby’s life.”


Carena Crawford
Associate Editor (Soaps)

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