it. Termination of life support proposed and opposed GOSH began discussing with the parents the ending of life support and the provision of palliative care. By this time, relations between the parents and the doctors had deteriorated. One GOSH doctor emailed another: "Parents are spanner in the works. Recent deterioration with worsening seizures means trial is not in his best interests." The email emerged in the subsequent court case; the judge said that he understood the distress it had caused the parents, but that it was important to view the email in the context of notes passed between consultants about Charlie's best interests. The parents disagreed with the doctors at GOSH; they wanted to take him to New York to receive the nucleoside treatment. Reactions On 30 January 2017, the parents launched an appeal on the crowdfunding website GoFundMe to finance experimental treatment in the United States. Donations had exceeded £1.3 million by the end of April. The publicity campaign was well under way before the legal process had started. At no time during the court process was any criticism levelled at the parents for this campaign and there was no suggestion that the court's powers be used to limit or control this publicity. In June, immediately after the High Court had ruled that artificial life support should be withdrawn, the parents said that they wanted to take their son home to die or to bring him to a hospice, and that GOSH had denied this; the hospital would not comment due to Charlie's confidentiality. It was announced that his life support would be withdrawn on 30 June. The courts, and GOSH and its staff were subjected to criticism and abuse. On 30 June, the staff at the hospital agreed to give the parents more time with him. Three days earlier, the appeal process finished when the European Court of Human Rights declined to hear the case and shortly after offers of assistance and expressions of support were made by U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Congressmen Brad Wenstrup and Trent Franks announced that they intended to introduce legislation granting lawful permanent resident status in the U.S. to Charlie Gard and his family. "Our bill will support Charlie's parents' right to choose what is best for their son, by making Charlie a lawful permanent resident in the U.S. in order for him to receive treatments that could