UPDATE - "It's too late": Charlie Gard's parents end legal battle to save their son!
Charlie suffers from a rare genetic condition that causes muscle weakness and brain damage. He is unable to move his arms and legs or breathe unaided. The parents have raised nearly 1,6 million euro to take him to the United States for an experimental treatment. But British doctors have told the parents that further treatments would only cause more pain and prolong the boy´s suffering. This decision has been backed up by British courts.
The case was reopened earlier this month, however, after two hospitals in the US had approached the hospital in London with possible evidence of alternative treatment. A doctor from the states told the parents there is a 10% chance of success if Charlie were to undergo the experimental treatment. Now Dr. Hirano has arrived in London to examine the little boy.
Dr. Hirano´s lab is researching and developing experimental therapies for the disorder that afflicts Charlie. He will have full access to the records and facilities at the London clinic. British doctors had advised Charlie´s parents to switch off the life support of the little boy, allowing him to die. But his parents believe in their son and his will to fight. They want to be sure they did everything they could before letting him go.
rare (reəʳ) – selten
condition (kənˈdɪʃən) – der Zustand, die Verfassung
to cause (kɔ:z) – etw verursachen
weakness (ˈwi:knəs) – die Schwäche
brain damage (breɪn ˈdæmɪʤ) – der Hirnschaden
unaided (ʌnˈeɪdɪd) – ohne fremde Hilfe
to raise (reɪz) – hier: sammeln, beschaffen
treatment (ˈtri:tmənt) – die Behandlung
further (ˈfɜ:ðəʳ) – weitere
pain (peɪn) – der Schmerz
to prolong (prə(ʊ)ˈlɒŋ) – etw verlängern, hinauszögern
to back up (bæk ʌp) – jdn unterstützen, jdm den Rücken decken
to approach (əˈprəʊtʃ) – sich jdm nähern, auf jdn zukommen
possible (ˈpɒsəbl̩) – möglich
to undergo (ˈʌndəʳgəʊ) – etw durchmachen, sich etw unterziehen
to arrive (əˈraɪv) – ankommen, eintreffen
to develop (dɪˈveləp) – etw entwickeln
disorder (dɪˈsɔ:dəʳ) – hier: die Störung, die Fehlfunktion
access (ˈækses) – der Zugang
to afflict (əˈflɪkt) – jdn/etw plagen, an etw leiden
facility (fəˈsɪlɪti) – hier: die Einrichtung, die Anlage
to advise (ədˈvaɪz) – jdn beraten
life support (laɪf səˈpɔ:t) – lebenserhaltende Maßnahmen
to allow (əˈlaʊ) – etw erlauben, gestatten