Martha Gray in University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust v GH & Ors [2026] EWHC 1064 (Fam)
11th May 2026 | Cases
Martha Gray was instructed by Watson Ramsbottom Solicitors) for the Second Respondent mother in University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust v GH & Ors [2026] EWHC 1064 (Fam); an application by NHS Trust for declarations that it is lawful and in best interests of child suffering from leukaemia for specified investigations and treatment to proceed.
This case concerned an application by University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for declarations authorising life-sustaining treatment for GH, a 15-year-old child with relapsed B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
The proposed treatment included CAR-T cell therapy. The medical evidence was unchallenged: without treatment GH was likely to die within weeks or months; with treatment she had an estimated 30–40% chance of cure. GH had previously expressed reservations about further invasive treatment, and her mother initially opposed the application, raising concerns rooted in religious, cultural and personal belief.
Following further bone marrow testing, which confirmed significant relapse, and an assessment of GH’s competence, GH agreed to proceed with treatment and her mother no longer opposed the Trust’s application. The court nevertheless considered it appropriate to make declarations approving the treatment plan as being in GH’s best interests, particularly given the need for uninterrupted treatment.
The court endorsed GH’s decision, emphasising that she wished to live and that all involved should support her through the treatment.
