Dad begs Pope to grant asylum to sick tot Alfie
THE father of stricken baby Alfie Evans yesterday kissed the Pope’s hand and begged him: “Your Holiness, save our son.”
Tom Evans, 21, flew to Rome on Tuesday night as he stepped up his legal battle with Alder Hey Children’s Hospital over ending the little boy’s life support.
In a private meeting with Pope Francis he asked for asylum for Alfie, who is suffering from an undiagnosed but incurable brain condition.
Mr Evans and Alfie’s mother, Kate James, 20, want to take the tot to the Vatican-run Bambino Gesu hospital.
It is understood doctors there have given him the same prognosis, but would be willing to perform a tracheotomy – an incision in his windpipe.
If that bid fails, they hope to take him to another hospital in Munich.
Earlier this month the Pope tweeted about the 23-month-old toddler, calling for all sides to work for what is best for Alfie. News of the audience was revealed on Mr Evans’s Facebook site, where he posted photographs and wrote: “Last night I jumped on a plane and came to Vatican Rome to meet the Pope. Alfie, we will do everything for you.”
Inhumane
Another message, understood to have been delivered to the Pope, reads: “Our child is sick, but not dying and does not deserve to die. He is not terminally ill nor diagnosed.
“We have been trying our best to find out his condition to treat or manage it. I am now here in front of your Holiness to plead for asylum.
“Our hospitals in the UK do not want to give disabled children the chance of life and instead are now assisting death in children.
“Alfie is not dying, so we do not want to take him out the way the hospital wish us to.
“We see life and potential in our son and we want to bring him here to Italy at Bambino Gesu where we know he is safe and will not be euthanised.”
Alder Hey has said continuing to treat Alfie is “inhumane” and “futile”.
In a statement released earlier this week, the hospital said: “Our priority is to continue to provide the best possible care for Alfie and his parents at this difficult time.”
On Monday, a lawyer from Christian Legal Centre represented the family at the Court of Appeal. Paul Diamond claimed it was an infringement of Alfie’s rights not to allow him to travel to Rome. The family’s lawyer has now lodged an appeal to the Supreme Court, which will decide whether to grant them a further hearing.
Previous appeals to the High Court, the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights have all failed.
The Supreme Court said it was now examining the latest application to overrule Monday’s Court of Appeal decision denying the parents the right to move Alfie overseas.
Andrea Williams, of the Christian Legal Centre, confirmed Mr Evans had asked the Pope for asylum for the young boy during their meeting.
She said: “This shows the power of a father’s love. When every avenue has been shut down in this country, it shows he won’t give up.”