I wanted to send you a quick update on the legislation that I introduced to help Charlie Gard, whose story has caught the attention of the world.
A medical center in the U.S. has already offered to provide Charlie with experimental treatment. His parents have raised over $1.6 million to pay for this treatment. The goal of this bill is to help expedite the process of getting Charlie and his parents to the U.S., so they are at least enabled to pursue their best hope for Charlie.
Not only does experimental treatment provide the only chance to save little Charlie’s life, it also offers the opportunity for Charlie to positively impact the chance of recovery for others suffering from this condition in the future. We believe that Charlie and his parents should have this option, should they choose to pursue it. You can read the full text of the bill, here.
Every human life has dignity, including the lives of those who cannot speak up for themselves. For me, this is personal. When my sister Amy was diagnosed with cancer, the doctors told her that that the only real cure would be a bone marrow transplant -- and the insurance company said no, that it is experimental and we are not going to cover it. She fought it. She got partial coverage from the insurance company and she paid the rest. We did the bone marrow transplant -- upon her doctor's advice.
Today, 23 years later, Amy is married and she's a wife and a mother of two children.
No matter how big or small, or how old or young, a single life is worth fighting for. I'll be sure to keep you updated on our fight for Charlie, and for all life.
A cure begins with one.
Yours in service,
P.S. Here are a few stories and interviews on what this legislation means for the fight for life:
