Portsmouth campaigner's shock after hospital asks to switch off ill tot Alfie Evans's life-support

HEARTBROKEN campaigners battling to save the life of a toddler have told of their devastation after hospital bosses applied to a court to switch off the tot's life-support.
Alfie EvansAlfie Evans
Alfie Evans

Alfie Evans had been fighting for survival after being struck down with a mysterious brain disease that doctors have been unable to diagnose.

For months the 23-month-old had been kept alive on a ventilator at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool. Now the hospital said it will ask a court to withdraw the life support.

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The decision came just hours after a meeting between hospital bosses and Alfie’s parents, who said there were other treatment options available in Italy.

Chris HargraveChris Hargrave
Chris Hargrave

Angry Chris Hargrave, an Afghanistan veteran from Portsmouth who has been part of the team campaigning to keep Alfie alive, said the meeting had given supporters ‘hope’.

The father-of-two, of Kirpal Road, Copnor, said: ‘It’s disgusting that Alfie’s family have been put through this. His parents were already suffering psychologically. To give them hope like that and then just two hours later dash that, is sick.’

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‘It’s just devastating it’s ended like this,’ he added. ‘Parents should have the right to decide what happens.’

Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust said the courts ruled Alfie’s condition was ‘irreversible and untreatable’ and that it was ‘not in his best interests’ to continue treatment.