‘Miracle recovery’ for little boy whose parents defied NHS

They said his life was saved because he was given innovative proton therapy treatment not available for him on the NHS.

The Proton Therapy Centre (PTC) in Prague, where he received the treatment last year, said it was thrilled to hear news that a recent scan showed no sign of a tumour.

Ashya’s mother Naghmeh King, who alongside her husband Brett sparked an international manhunt last summer by removing the little boy from hospital in Southampton without medical consent, told the Sun the news was “incredible”.

“If we had left Ashya with the NHS in Britain, he would not be with us today. He was too weak and would not have survived,” she said.

Ashya was finally allowed to undergo treatment at the PTC for brain cancer after a long legal battle fought by his parents and he has since been recovering in Spain.

Jana Kulhankova, marketing director at the centre, said she had not seen the latest scan but has been in regular contact with the youngster’s doctor, Hernan Cortes-Funes, since his treatment ended.

“Ashya’s doctor told me last week that Ashya is doing so well that he is able to release him for rehabilitation,” she said. “If the scans are showing that Ashya is cancer-free, as Mr King says, then we are thrilled, that is what we have worked for. We have no reason to doubt Mr King – he does all that is best for his child.”

Ashya’s father Brett King said his son’s condition now justifies their actions in taking him from Southampton General Hospital last August to Spain, where they have a holiday home.

He declared that they “have saved his life”, adding that they would do the same thing again if they felt they had to.

The couple were arrested in Spain after fleeing the UK and spent several nights in prison away from their son, before being released.

A High Court judge approved the move to take Ashya to Prague for proton therapy, which the PTC said is more effective than the radiotherapy Ashya was being offered on the NHS.

It limits the collateral damage of radiation to other vital organs, such as the heart and liver in Ashya’s case. This would lead to less severe long-term side-effects including heart and breathing problems.

The therapy was not available for him on the NHS, although the health service later agreed to fund Ashya’s treatment.

The family, who have previously spoken of their apprehension over returning to the UK for fear social services would get involved, are staying in Marbella where Ashya will continue his recovery.

Dr Nick Plowman, senior clinical oncologist at Great Ormond Street children’s hospital, told BBC Radio 4’s World At One that he disagrees with the assertion that the treatment that was offered by the NHS would not have achieved the same results. He said: “I think we could have achieved the remission he is in now with standard radiotherapy.”

Dr Plowman added: “This country sends approximately 150 selected children to the United States for proton beam radiotherapy every year, so we recognise the advantages and send that number of children abroad for protons.

“The equipment is extremely expensive, and that’s why it’s been difficult for us to have access to as many machines as we want.”