Cannabis oil plea girl improving after seizure, say parents
THE condition of a young Newtownards girl awaiting a licence to be treated with medicinal cannabis oil has improved.
Sophia Gibson was rushed to hospital on Tuesday after suffering a seizure.
The seven- year- old suffers from a severe form of epilepsy known as Dravet syndrome and her parents, Darren Gibson and Danielle Davis, claim the medication relieves their daughter’s condition.
Ms Davis said Sophia was placed in a drug-induced coma on Tuesday.
Yesterday morning, she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that her daughter’s condition had improved overnight.
“She was admitted to intensive care, which is where we still are at the minute,” she said.
“Sophia is off the ventilator and has been breathing on her own, which is a godsend.
“It’s really just up to Sophia when she wakes up a wee bit more and see how the medications have worn off, and hopefully no more life-threatening seizures, because if that happens again, she will get ventilated again.
“This is my baby at the end of the day, to stand there feeling hopeless and helpless, just hoping that she pulls through.
“I was heartbroken, absolutely devastated.”
Sophia’s family have applied for a licence for her to be treat- Appeal: Sophia Gibson with her parents Darren and Danielle
ed with cannabis oil in Northern Ireland.
Previously she was treated with the medication when her family took her to the Netherlands.
Ms Davis has urged the Home Office and the Department of Health in Northern Ireland to work to ensure Sophia gets her medication as quickly as possible.
“We keep reiterating — Sophia does not have time,” she said.
Ms Davis said that the family had followed proper protocols, but if Sophia was treated with medicinal cannabis oil, her seizure would have been much less severe.
“As a mother I just feel so horrible because I know there is something out there that can help Sophia and if I was to bring it into this country I am classed as a criminal,” she said.
“This cannot keep happening. “It will come to the day where I am visiting a headstone and not a hospital, and I pray to God that doesn’t happen.”
The Home Office has confirmed it has received two applications for Sophia, which the panel has agreed to consider as one.
Recommendations from the panel are given to the Department of Health in Northern Ireland to consider as licensing decisions are devolved.
A Home Office spokesman said: “We completely sympathise with the families who have been facing desperate situations as they try to find treatment.
“That is why the Government has taken action, creating an expert panel to review individual medicinal cannabis licence applications.
“The Home Office does not comment on individual applications submitted to the expert panel of clinicians.
“In Northern Ireland, licensing decisions are devolved and any recommendations on licence applications made by the expert panel would be considered by the Department of Health Northern Ireland.”
Last week, Billy Caldwell from Castlederg, who also suffers from a severe form of epilepsy, was granted a licence to allow him to be treated with medicinal cannabis.
That followed a campaign fought by his mother Charlotte and earlier this week the Belfast Trust confirmed that Billy would be able to receive the treatment at home.