Indi Gregory's grandad says parents should decide baby's fate ahead of judgement
The grandad of a sick baby whose parents want a High Court judge to give her a chance to stay alive says he is praying for a “happy ending”.
Indi Gregory faces having life-saving treatment denied after doctors said it would be kinder to let her die. The six-month-old is battling mitochondrial disease – the same condition that affected baby Charlie Gard. Her parents Claire Staniforth, 35, and Dean Gregory, 37, say she is a happy baby who “deserves a chance at life”. The couple, who are engaged, have spent months at their daughter's bedside at the Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham.
Hospital bosses are expected to tell a judge it is in Indi’s “best interests” not to be given treatment to “sustain her life” if her condition worsens. Indi’s grandfather Michael Gregory, 75, from Nottingham, told the Mirror it should be up to his son and Claire to decide what happens to Indi.
The six-month-old is battling mitochondrial disease“It is a very difficult situation,” he said. “It is one of those where you are caught between two almost impossible choices. But in my opinion, the courts shouldn’t decide these matters. It should be the parents. Being her parents, and being there all the time with her, they will know in their own minds. It should be Dean and Claire’s decision - not mine, and not the judges’. I just hope there is a happy ending.”
Chris Gard and Connie Yates with their son Charlie Gard (PA)In a recent Facebook post, Claire said she wished she could swap places with her tiny daughter. “My strongest little human (fighter) Indi,” she wrote. “Come on beautiful girl. My heart bleeds green for a cure for mitochondrial disease (rare). I miss not being able to do all the normal things us mums would be doing right now. I wish I could swap places, take on her fight and give her my life. Why us! Why Indi! Why me! We just want her home. I will love you forever .. because all of me loves all of you.”
Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him
Indi with her father Dean GregoryIn an interview with the Daily Mail, Dean said: “Indi is a strong little girl and a real fighter. She deserves a chance at life. The hospital wants to take this away and we are beyond horrified. She just needs time to recover so we can work out a plan to care for her at home. We know she will never be the same as other children, because she has several disabilities. But it breaks our hearts to think that doctors don't want to give her that chance at life.”
The little baby in hospitalThe couple, from Ilkeston, Derbys, have three other daughters between them. A hearing is due to take place at the High Court in London on Friday. Mitochondrial disease is a rare genetic condition that saps energy from the body's cells. There is currently no cure. Charlie Gard died from it in 2017 after his parents fought and lost a court battle to take him for pioneering treatment abroad.
Michelle Rhodes, Chief Nurse at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We wish to express our sympathies to Indi’s family at this very difficult time. We know that this is an extremely difficult case for all involved and we continue to support Indi’s family and provide specialised care for Indi. Cases like this are so difficult and we are of course saddened that we are unable to do more for Indi, but we will always act in the best interests of our patients and do all we can to advocate for them when needed. We can confirm that the Trust has made an application to the High Court to ensure that Indi’s best interests can be protected.”
The hearing will begin at the High Court tomorrow at 10.30am.
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