A 16-year-old autistic girl begs doctors to not let him die.
William Verden was two years old when he was diagnosed with rare kidney disease. A transplant would not be possible.
Medics say he should receive palliative care instead of continuing dialysis as an expert says his kidneys are ‘devastated’.
But the teenager’s furious mother Amy, 45, is said to be willing to launch a High Court challenge to keep William alive.
The attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism that he has make his situation more complicated. William can sometimes be difficult to control during dialysis due to interference with his tubes.
Amy Verden (pictured), William’s mother, is willing to challenge the High Court to preserve her son.
But without it, he could have ‘days or maybe weeks’ to live, his mother said. She fears the autism and ADHD has influenced the decision to switch to palliative care and says doctors at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital should keep trying to save him.
William told the Sunday People: ‘I don’t want to die.’
Amy added: ‘He is probably going to die from this. But he’s not ready to die now. He deserves a chance like everyone.’
On the issues caused by William during dialysis, she said: ‘It’s his disability, he’s not interfering with the line on purpose. I don’t believe doctors would be advising us in this way if he wasn’t autistic.’
She and William’s father, Will, 43, won’t accept Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust’s recommendation. Their son should receive treatment and they believe he should be placed on the transplant waiting lists.
Medics say the teen should receive palliative care instead of continuing dialysis as an expert says his kidneys are ‘devastated’
A routine blood test in December 2019 revealed the teenager had focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, which attacks the kidneys’ filtering units. He was receiving dialysis six days per week at home and attending a school for special needs. However, his tube opened became infected in September.
Another type of dialysis was attempted by the doctors but William kept screaming and pulling off his dressings, so sessions were stopped. Doctors deemed palliative care the best choice last month.
Mother-of-three Amy, of Newton, Lancaster, believes the decision is premature and says her son is well enough to play golf, adding: ‘I will never live with myself if I don’t fight for him to have this chance.’
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust said: ‘We recognise this is a very difficult time for William and his family and we will continue to support them.’