Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CANNABIS OIL LIFELINE APPROVED FOR PATRICK
Special medical panel first to approve Belfast man
THE family of a sick man have been offered a lifeline after he was granted permission to be treated with cannabis oil.
It’s the first time CBD care has been considered by the Belfast Trust to ease Lennox-gastaut syndrome.
The permission came after a specially convened Emergency Compassionate Access Panel held by GW Pharma in London.
Patrick Mcmahon, 21, has been suffering repeated seizures in the Royal Victoria Hospital which has been his home for the past 40 days.
But yesterday his grandmother Muriel, from Hannahstown in the west of the city, said the family was given hope alternative medicine derived from cannabis could be tried on Patrick.
Muriel added: “He suffers lots of different types of epilepsy as part of his condition and any one of them can strike at any moment. He has to wear a helmet as he causes himself a lot of injuries. His most recent break was to his leg.
“We’ve tried every pharmaceutical drug available but none of them worked and we’re desperate for Patrick to be allowed to try medicinal cannabis oil. So today we have been told amazing news. Patrick has been granted permission to try CBD oil.
“We met with Sinn Fein’s health spokesman Pat Sheehan and Brian Armstrong in the RVH last Tuesday and two days later an Emergency Compassionate Access Panel was called.
“Although we didn’t know about it, they sat last Thursday and a lot of phone calls made on Patrick’s behalf in a bid to allow him the chance of trying CBD – this doesn’t have the psychoactive element – but it could be a start for us.
“Then today we received a call from the Trust to say the panel was granting Patrick permission for the medicinal cannabis CBD treatment.
“We are absolutely delighted that someone has seen sense and is giving Patrick the chance to get treatment.
“He is so depressed in hospital and we have been here 40 days and nights and it’s just too much.
“But now there is a chance to get Epidiolex drug to the RVH. We have the paperwork to get through yet but we have faith our consultant, Dr Craig has the will and the desire to help Patrick.
“Patrick is unaware there’s been good news and he is very depressed and just wants to go home. I don’t know how much longer we can carry on at the RVH.
“The staff have been wonderful, the nurses and even the people on reception are so friendly to Patrick.
“We are walking him about five or six miles a day around the hospital just to try to get him a change of scenery and some air, but he just needs to get home.
“The news is fantastic and we have to thank Charlotte and Billy Caldwell for bringing medicinal cannabis to the public and to Steve Moore and the Families4access campaign team for their support and advice, plus of course Pat Sheehan, who has not stopped, and the brilliant A&E doctor Brian Armstrong.” A spokesman for the Belfast Trust said: “The application for use of this drug has been approved and we are putting measures in place to have it delivered to Belfast for the patient to use as soon as possible.
“The Belfast Trust will continue to liaise with the family.”