The US President Donald Trump has made an intervention in the case of terminally-ill baby Charlie Gard – by offering help to save him.
The 10-month-old baby boy has been the subject of a lengthy legal battle as his parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, fought for him to be allowed to undergo a therapy trial in the US.
After losing the fight, the couple were spending their last hours with him before his life-support is turned off when Mr Trump initiated alegal struggle via Twitter to state that he would be “delighted” to help the terminally ill baby.“If we can help little #CharlieGard, as per our friends in the UK and the Pope, we would be delighted to do so,” he wrote.
His involvement came after Pope Francis called for the baby’s parents to be allowed to “accompany and treat their child until the end”.
The support is likely to offer Charlie’s parents some hope after exhausting every avenue in their heart breaking legal battle.
A White House spokeswoman said: “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.”
It is understood that a doctor and a hospital have been lined up to help if an agreement is reached.
Theresa May’s spokesman said that the Prime Minister’s thoughts were with Charlie and his family but did not comment on Mr Trump’s tweet.
Her official spokesman said: “This is a very sensitive case. I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to talk about it here at this point other than to say our thoughts are with him and his family.”
Charlie’s parents were given some more time to say goodbye to their son, who suffers from a rare genetic condition and has brain damage, after making an emotional video plea.
Doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) were due to turn off his life support last Friday.
His parents asked European court judges in Strasbourg, France, to consider their case after judges in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court in London ruled in favour of GOSH doctors.
However last week the European Court of Human Rights refused to intervene
A specialist who would oversee any treatment Charlie had at a hospital in the US told the High Court that therapy would provide a “small chance” of a meaningful improvement in the baby’s brain function.
He said: “It may be a treatment, but not a cure.
“(Charlie) may be able to interact. To smile. To look at objects.”