The parents of little Alfie, born in May 2016, notice over the months that their child is not behaving normally. Jerky movements, drowsiness, fists still clenched … The pediatrician tells them that it is only a simple developmental delay. But in December 2016, Alfie had a lung infection and has been living on life support ever since. It is in a semi-vegetative state at the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool (central west England).
Doctors say he suffers from a rare neurodegenerative disease that has yet to be definitively diagnosed. British justice has ruled on stopping his treatment, but the parents want to continue fighting and want to continue treatment abroad. Pope Francis has shown his support for them on social media.
I sincerely hope that everything possible will be done to continue to accompany little Alfie Evans with compassion, and that the deep suffering of his parents can be heard. I pray for Alfie, for his family, and for everyone involved.
– Pope Francis (@Pontifex_fr) April 4, 2018
Justice proves doctors right
The hospital felt that maintaining “continuing care” was not “in the best interests” of the baby. The British High Court, then the country’s Supreme Court, ruled in favor of the doctors. The parents wanted to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, based in Strasbourg, but the latter refused to examine the case, explaining that no human rights violation had been found.
The parents’ wish is for the hospital to accept Alfie’s transfer to another establishment. On the petition, already collecting more than 225,000 signatures, we learn that they have found an Italian hospital accepting to take care of their baby, to make him a tracheotomy, to put him a gastric tube and to try to establish a diagnosis in order to process it. However, the hospital is opposed to this transfer deeming it “futile”, a decision confirmed by the court. The date of stopping treatment has not yet been decided.
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