Charlie Gard Update: Twitter Pours Support, Pope's Hospital Offers Treatment As Terminally Ill Baby Set To Die

The Charlie Gard case has drawn worldwide attention after Pope Francis and President Donald Trump expressed their support for the terminally ill 11-month-old baby, who is set to die after a European court ordered he should be taken off life support. Amid concerns about the fate of Charlie, who is suffering from a rare genetic disorder — mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome — a Vatican-owned hospital in Rome offered to take the baby into its care Tuesday.

Mariella Enoc, president of the Vatican's Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital, released a statement asking the director of the London hospital, where Charlie is staying, "to verify whether the health conditions exist to possibly transfer Charlie to our hospital."

"We know that this is a desperate case and, apparently, there is no effective therapy," Enoc said.

In response, the London hospital confirmed that for legal reasons, it could not transfer Charlie to the Vatican hospital.

Read: Charlie Gard's Mother Responds After Trump Offers Help To Terminally Ill 11-Month Old Set To Die

Charlie's parents had asked the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London to release the baby as they wanted to take him to the U.S. for an experimental treatment for the genetic disorder. However, the hospital refused the parents' request, saying it might not be the best course of action.

Connie Yates and her husband Chris Gard filed a case in the European Court of Human Rights that ruled June 27 the boy could not be taken to the U.S. and should be removed from life support.

Charlie's continuing struggle for life and his parents' desperate plight took the internet by storm, and several people voiced their support for the baby. Social media users have slammed the court's decision not to allow Charlie's parents to take him to the U.S. for further treatment.

Daily Mail columnist Katie Hopkins tweeted Tuesday: "Charlie Gard's life should be in his parents’ hands. And his death, should it come, in their arms, too."

Jay Sekulow, chief counsel for the American Center for Law & Justice, also wrote: "There is another round of appeals available for #CharlieGard before the European Court of Human Rights. The fight isn't over."

After Trump's tweet Monday offering help for Charlie's treatment, the toddler's mother responded, saying she will continue to fight for her child.

Charlie's parents are struggling to save their child's life, and in order to fulfill this endeavor, they have raised nearly $2 million through donations. On Sunday, Pope Francis released a statement saying Charlie’s parents should be allowed to try every possibility to help treat their son.

“The Holy Father follows with affection and commotion the situation of Charlie Gard and expresses his own closeness to his parents. He prays for them, wishing that their desire to accompany and care for their own child to the end will be respected,” Greg Burke, the pope’s spokesman, said in the statement.

Read: Who Is Charlie Gard?

Social media users have poured in their support for Charlie's parents and have urged the London hospital to drop the case and allow the baby to fly to the U.S. for treatment.