The father of tragic Alfie Evans has warned his son’s life support could be turned off as soon as Friday as the Pope urged ‘everything necessary’ be done to save him.
Last Friday, the 22-month-old’s parents lost their bid to overturn a ruling that doctors could switch off their son’s life support.
His father, Tom Evans, warned that doctors could act on the ruling as soon as Friday.
Today Pope Francis, who has previously been supportive of Alfie’s family, took to Twitter.
The 22-month-old has an undiagnosed brain condition and is being kept alive in Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool
Pope Francis has previously spoken of his support for Alfie and his family’s struggle to keep the youngster alive
Writing on his official Twitter account today, Pope Francis shared his support for the tragic youngster
Mr Evans called the decision to turn off his son’s machine ‘sick, vile and disgusting’
He wrote: ‘It is my sincere hope that everything necessary may be done in order to continue compassionately accompanying little Alfie Evans, and that the deep suffering of his parents may be heard.
‘I am praying for Alfie, for his family and for all who are involved.’
The 22-month-old has an undiagnosed brain condition and is being kept alive in Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool.
Parents Tom and Kate James lodged an application on Thursday to be able to appeal to the Supreme Court against a ruling that allows doctors to switch the life support off.
In an emotional Facebook post his father Tom Evans claimed doctors could switch off his machine by Friday.
A spokesman for the The Court of Appeal this morning said ‘permission had been refused and the parties had been informed’.
The parents will now appeal directly to The Supreme Court, in a bid to overturn a decision made by the High Court, that Alder Hey should withdraw life support.
If refused by the Supreme Court – which hears cases of the greatest public or constitutional importance affecting the whole population – their last chance is to go to the European Court of Human Rights.
Kate James and Tom Evans, parents of 21 month old Alfie Evans, are fighting tooth and nail to keep their son alive
Alfie’s parents Tom Evans, 21, and Kate James, 20, claim their son has been ‘sentenced to the death penalty’
A deadline was not set by the High Court for when Alfie’s ventilation would be withdrawn.
Judges at the Court of Appeal ruled that end of life arrangements would be made in a discussion between both the family and the hospital.
However, in a post on Alfie’s Army Official Facebook page, father Tom claimed Alder Hey have requested to meet him today, to discuss removing his son’s ventilator on Friday.
His post read: ‘On to the legal side of things our appeal to Supreme will be going in tomorrow, Alder Hey have requested me to a meeting tomorrow so they can discuss removing Alfie’s machine on Friday.
‘How sick, knowing we are going through enough and know we still are fighting with Alfie and are going all the way to human rights!!
‘They also know I sat in a meeting on Thursday with the medical director and a Claire House (children’s hospice) nurse speaking about the most hardest, unimaginable conversation anyone would think about!
‘Discussing how they would take him to Claire House in Birkenhead 40-50 mins away give me and Kate a day with him then at a set time remove his machine. Absolutely vile, disgusting actions!!!’
‘Alfie is by far NOWHERE NEAR THAT STAGE YET!!!! AND NEITHER ARE WE!!!’
TIMELINE OF SERIOUSLY ILL ALFIE EVANS WHOSE PARENTS ARE BATTLING THE NHS TO KEEP HIM ALIVE
Last week a High Court judge ruled that doctors can stop treating Alfie, against the wishes of his parents
May 2016: Alfie Evans is born apparently perfectly healthy, but misses numerous developmental milestones in his first seven months
December 2016: Alfie catches a chest infection causing seizures, and is taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool where he is put on life support. He has been there ever since
July 2017: Father Tom Evans says he is seeking US treatment for his son and hopes Charlie Gard’s supporters will help after he claimed doctors want to turn off Alfie’s life support.
December 17: Alfie’s parents say they will begin mediation with the hospital in a bid to find a way forward without legal action
December 19: Mr Evans claims the toddler is letting them know he wants to live
February 1: The case goes to the High Court in Liverpool, where the hospital reveal the parents smuggled a German doctor into hospital in a bid to stop the life support from being switched off
February 2: Consultant tells High Court that the child is unresponsive, not conscious of his surroundings and cannot be cured
February 5: Parents are told by doctors there is ‘no hope for recovery’ for their boy who has suffered ‘catastrophic degradation’ to his brain from a ‘relentless’ condition
February 7: Miss James tells a newspaper that she feels ‘physical’ pain at the thought of her son’s death
February 20: Mr Justice Hayden rules that doctors can stop providing treatment to Alfie.
February 22: Alfie’s father, Tom, 21, said he would appeal against the decision, saying ‘doctors should take a step back.’
March 1: Three appeal judges began analysing issues at a hearing in London.
March 11: Court of Appeal hearing decide doctors can put an end to Alfie’s treatment