Charlie’s parents visit White House to discuss his £1.3m legacy of hope
CHARLIE Gard’s parents have visited the White House to discuss their son’s legacy.
They met Donald Trump’s deputy, Vice President Mike Pence, five months after their little boy’s tragic death.
The couple discussed plans to set up a foundation in the New Year to help other children with rare genetic conditions.
On Monday, Connie Yates and Chris Gard registered UK charity the Charlie Gard Foundation. It will use £1.3million donated by well-wishers, including Daily Mail readers, for their son’s treatment.
He died on July 28, shortly before his first birthday, after a lengthy court battle over his treatment for mitochondrial disease.
His parents wanted to take him to America for experimental therapy and raised cash to pay for it. During their battle with Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital in London, Miss Yates and Mr Gard were helped by messages of support from the US president and Pope Francis.
On Saturday they met the vice president and Miss Yates said last night: ‘It was good to be able to thank Mike Pence in person for the White House’s intervention which gave us more time with our son, even if they couldn’t save his life.’
Mr Pence tweeted a photo of the meeting and wrote: ‘An honour to welcome the courageous parents of little Charlie Gard, Chris and Connie, to the White House to discuss the life and legacy of their son. Their parental love and devotion to their son is inspiring and a reminder of how precious all lives are.’ Miss Yates, 32, and Mr Gard, 33, from Bedfont in south-west London, said on their website: ‘Too many children are losing their fight against rare medical conditions, which emphasises the need for more research, and we hope we can help deliver this through Charlie’s foundation.’
A High Court judge had ruled that the treatment they wanted for Charlie was not in the boy’s best interests.