Battling Charlie, my little darling of Mother’s Day
THE mother of desperately ill baby Charlie Gard says she is terrified her first Mother’s Day with her son will be her last.
Connie Yates said: ‘Mother’s Day is so poignant and I can’t imagine my life without Charlie in it. The day Charlie was born was the best day of my life. I always heard the phrase “there is no love like a mothers love” and it’s so true, I will do absolutely anything for Charlie, anything.’
Seven-month-old Charlie is only the 16th person in the world to be diagnosed with a rare form of mitochondrial depletion syndrome, which causes progressive muscle and organ weakness.
Doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital have said there is no accepted cure for the disease, and at a High Court hearing last month they said it would be kinder to allow Char- lie to die. Miss Yates and her partner Chris Gard are battling to take their only child to the United States, where a doctor is willing to try new drugs. But first they must convince the court there is a chance it might work at a hearing on April 3.
Yesterday the couple from London, who are trying to raise £1.2million for the treatment, released new photos of their ‘thriving’ son on life support. Miss Yates, 31, said: ‘Sitting in the court room was one of the worst days of my life. I remember turning to my solicitor and asking “Will I still be a mummy on Mother’s Day?”
‘Now that day is here I am terrified that my first Mother’s Day could also be my last.’ To donate to Charlie’s fund go to https://www.gofundme.com/ please-help-to-save-charlies-life