Alfie Evans and his father - Copyright - Facebook

Pope Prays for All to Be Done to Help Baby Alfie Evans and His Parents

Despite Some Signs of Improvement, Doctors, Courts Want to End Alfie’s Life Support

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Share this Entry

Pope Francis is praying for Alfie Evans and his parents, and feels especially close to them at this time of immense suffering.
In a tweet, the Pope said, “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,” he said.

While doctors have not yet definitively diagnosed the 23-year-old’s condition, it is widely believed that the baby has a rare degenerative neurological condition. Many believe Alfie may have a mitochondrial condition, similar to Charlie Gard. Alfie, considered to be in a “semi-vegetative state,” has the UK’s justice system calling for an end of treatment, going against the parents’ wishes.

Baby Charlie Gard. Courts ruled against continuing his life support, or transferring him to other hospital

Since December 2016, after a lung infection caused chronic crises, Alfie has been in intensive care at the Alder Hey Children Hospital in Liverpool. Doctors there sustain that it is in Alfie’s best interest to stop “mechanical ventilation.”
Kate James and Tom Evans, Alfie’s parents, argue that their baby is showing signs of improvement and are fighting for the right to keep him alive. Their wish is to transfer their baby to another hospital to try experimental therapies.
British press are saying that the hospital could stop Alfie’s respirator by this weekend.
Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Share this Entry

Deborah Castellano Lubov

Deborah Castellano Lubov is Senior Vatican & Rome Correspondent for ZENIT; author of 'The Other Francis' ('L'Altro Francesco') featuring interviews with those closest to the Pope and preface by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin (currently published in 5 languages); Deborah is also NBC & MSNBC Vatican Analyst. She often covers the Pope's travels abroad, often from the Papal Flight (including for historic trips such as to Abu Dhabi and Japan & Thailand), and has also asked him questions on the return-flight press conference on behalf of the English-speaking press present. Lubov has done much TV & radio commentary, including for NBC, Sky, EWTN, BBC, Vatican Radio, AP, Reuters and more. She also has contributed to various books on the Pope and has written for various Catholic publications. For 'The Other Francis': http://www.gracewing.co.uk/page219.html or https://www.amazon.com/Other-Francis-Everything-They-about/dp/0852449348/

Support ZENIT

If you liked this article, support ZENIT now with a donation