Parents not the best judges

I FEEL desperately sorry for Tom Evans and Kate James.

Sorry they have lost their desperate legal battle.

Sorry they must now lose their baby son Alfie.

But, as strange as this may sound, sometimes parents are not the best people to determine the outcome for their children.

A parent may do anything to keep their child alive and close to them, even sometimes when this is no longer in the best interest of the child. But doctors – who dedicate their lives to caring for children – will always think first about what is best for the patient.

The best we can hope for now is that baby Alfie is allowed to die with dignity.

And that in years to come Tom and Kate take some comfort from knowing they did everything in their power for their baby son.