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Tafida Raqeeb: Brain-damaged girl arrives in Italy | Tafida Raqeeb: Brain-damaged girl arrives in Italy |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A brain-damaged girl has arrived in Italy after her parents won a High Court battle to take her abroad for treatment. | A brain-damaged girl has arrived in Italy after her parents won a High Court battle to take her abroad for treatment. |
Five-year-old Tafida Raqeeb had been on life support at the Royal London Hospital since suffering a traumatic brain injury in February. | Five-year-old Tafida Raqeeb had been on life support at the Royal London Hospital since suffering a traumatic brain injury in February. |
Health bosses had tried to block attempts to take her to the Gaslini children's hospital in Genoa. | Health bosses had tried to block attempts to take her to the Gaslini children's hospital in Genoa. |
Her mother said she was seeking Italian citizenship for her daughter. | Her mother said she was seeking Italian citizenship for her daughter. |
Shelina Begum and her husband Mohammed Raqeeb, from Newham, east London, were met outside the hospital in an official welcome organised by CitizenGo Italy, a community organisation which paid for Tafida's transfer. | |
Dr Andrea Moscatelli is head of intensive care at Gaslini children's hospital and said what Tafida needs is time. | |
"We don't know if we can make her improve but if we optimise the support of the vital function we might give her the opportunity for a spontaneous recovery. | |
"Maybe just a little bit. Even if we find it very unlikely because the brain injury is devastating," he said. | |
At a press conference, Mrs Begum thanked the hospital for "believing in my daughter's recovery". | |
"I visited Tafida this morning, she is stable, she was awake, fully awake, turning her head from side to side," she said | "I visited Tafida this morning, she is stable, she was awake, fully awake, turning her head from side to side," she said |
"I am feeling emotionally drained. I think I will burst into tears very soon." | "I am feeling emotionally drained. I think I will burst into tears very soon." |
She added: "I just believe that since Tafida is in Italy it will be wise for her to have Italian citizenship." | She added: "I just believe that since Tafida is in Italy it will be wise for her to have Italian citizenship." |
Mrs Begum said the family was crowdfunding for Tafida's treatment but added it had sponsors in place and the money "should not run out". | |
UK specialists had previously argued any further treatment of Tafida, who suffered a brain haemorrhage, would be futile. | UK specialists had previously argued any further treatment of Tafida, who suffered a brain haemorrhage, would be futile. |
Bosses at Barts Health NHS Trust, which runs the hospital in Whitechapel, had said ending Tafida's life support was in her best interests. | Bosses at Barts Health NHS Trust, which runs the hospital in Whitechapel, had said ending Tafida's life support was in her best interests. |
Analysis | Analysis |
By Fergus Walsh, BBC health correspondent in Genoa | By Fergus Walsh, BBC health correspondent in Genoa |
The treatment in Genoa is centred on keeping Tafida alive. | The treatment in Genoa is centred on keeping Tafida alive. |
But doctors here say although Tafida has suffered devastating brain damage they cannot rule out some small spontaneous recovery in the months ahead. | But doctors here say although Tafida has suffered devastating brain damage they cannot rule out some small spontaneous recovery in the months ahead. |
Dr Andrea Moscatelli denied his team was giving Tafida's parents false hope. | |
The Genoa medical team told the High Court they did not foresee any therapies that might improve Tafida's neurological condition. | |
But doctors now intend to give Tafida a tracheostomy - meaning she'll have a tube inserted in her windpipe, connected to a ventilator - which will hopefully allow her to be cared for at home by her parents. | |
Tafida - deemed by the High Court to have minimal awareness and being unable to feel pain - has a sleep-wake cycle and opens and closes her eyes. | Tafida - deemed by the High Court to have minimal awareness and being unable to feel pain - has a sleep-wake cycle and opens and closes her eyes. |
Doctors in London had argued it was near-impossible for Tafida to derive any benefit from continued life and she should be allowed the "dignity of dying peacefully". | Doctors in London had argued it was near-impossible for Tafida to derive any benefit from continued life and she should be allowed the "dignity of dying peacefully". |
Tafida's parents, both practising Muslims, argued Islamic law said only God could take the decision to end her life. | Tafida's parents, both practising Muslims, argued Islamic law said only God could take the decision to end her life. |
The High Court ruled on 3 October there was no justification to stop the child being taken abroad. | The High Court ruled on 3 October there was no justification to stop the child being taken abroad. |