Brown's son diagnosed with cystic fibrosis
British Chancellor Gordon Brown insists today he remains upbeat about his baby son Fraser’s future after revealing that his third-born has cystic fibrosis.
Mr Crown and his wife Sarah were told their younger son might have the condition shortly after his birth in July.
A spokesman for Mr Brown said that despite confirmation of the diagnosis Fraser was “fit, healthy and making all the progress that you would expect any little boy to make”.
“Thousands of other parents are in the same position,” the spokesman added. “They are confident that the advice and treatments available, including proper exercise and, later, sporting activity, will keep him fit and healthy.
“The NHS is doing a great job, and Gordon and Sarah are very optimistic that the advances being made in medicine will help him and many others, and they hope to be able to play their part in doing what they can to help others.”
Political friends and rivals alike sent their best wishes to the Chancellor, with Tory leader David Cameron among the first to offer his support.
Mr Cameron’s son Ivan, born in 2001, is disabled by a rare condition that combines epilepsy and cerebral palsy.
Mr Cameron has previously spoken of going into “mourning” when doctors gave him and wife Sam the news.
Mr Brown and his wife were hit by tragedy in January 2002 when their first child, daughter Jennifer Jane, died just 10 days after her premature birth.
But the couple were overjoyed in 2003 with the birth of their oldest son John and the family grew again in July of this year with the birth of James Fraser, weighing 7lb 14oz.
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-threatening inherited genetic disease which disrupts the way the digestive and respiratory systems work.
It affects five babies born each week in the UK, and more than 7,500 babies, children and young adults are living with the condition. Average life expectancy is early 30s.
Testing of infants for CF is already routine in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and parts of England, and the Government plans to introduce screening programmes for all newborn babies throughout the UK.
