Stevosevic Posted 25 February 2009 Posted 25 February 2009 Surprised there isn't a thread already, apologies if there is. Horrible for his family, second child that him and his wife have lost. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7909562.stm Cameron's eldest son Ivan dies Conservative leader David Cameron's eldest son Ivan has died in hospital. The six-year-old, who had cerebral palsy and epilepsy, became ill overnight and was taken to St Mary's hospital where he died early Wednesday. Mr Cameron, who described Ivan as "wonderful", and wife Samantha have two younger children, Nancy and Arthur. Prime Ministers' Questions, which had been due to take place in the Commons at noon, has been cancelled as a mark of respect. In place of the normal clashes between MPs and the prime minister, Gordon Brown will read out a short statement. Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague, who is standing in for Mr Cameron, and deputy Lib Dem leader Vince Cable, who is standing in for Nick Clegg, will also be asked to make statements. The Commons will then be adjourned until 1230 GMT, when normal business will resume. 'Saddened' Announcing Ivan's death earlier, a Conservative Party statement said: "It is with great sadness that David and Samantha Cameron must confirm the death of their six-year-old son Ivan. "Ivan, who suffered from cerebral palsy and severe epilepsy, was taken ill overnight and died at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, early this morning. "David and Samantha would ask that their privacy is respected at this terribly difficult time." Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he and his wife Sarah were "very saddened" about Ivan's death. In a statement, Mr Brown said: "We have sent our condolences to David and Samantha. The death of a child is a loss no parent should have to bear. David Cameron was with Ivan when he met the Archbishop of York on Christmas day "I know Ivan was a child who brought joy to all those who knew him and his was a life surrounded by love. "The thoughts and prayers of the whole country are with David, Samantha and their family." Mr Brown and wife Sarah lost a daughter, Jennifer Jane, in 2002, who was 10 days old when she died in hospital in Edinburgh. Mr Cameron, who has been leader of the UK's official opposition since 2005, had been an MP for Witney, in Oxfordshire, for less than a year when Ivan was born in April 2002. He suffered from Ohtahara syndrome, a very rare form of epilepsy characterised by spasms which start in the first days of life. Some children can suffer as many as 100 seizures everyday. Describing the moment when he learned of Ivan's disabilities, Mr Cameron told the Sunday Times in 2005: "The news hits you like a freight train. "You are depressed for a while because you are grieving for the difference between your hopes and the reality. But then you get over that, because he's wonderful." NHS praise The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said Mr Cameron's experience of looking after Ivan, who needed round-the-clock supervision, had shaped Mr Cameron's character and his attitude to the NHS, which provided most of the care for Ivan. Friends have previously attributed Mr Cameron's "modernising" leadership of the Conservatives to the NHS care Ivan received. Ivan Cameron with Samantha Cameron The illness has also helped the Tory leader realise that there is more to life than politics, they have said. In a 2007 speech, Mr Cameron said: "I help care for a severely disabled child - my son. "It's what I do at the start of each day. It's sharpened my focus on the world of care assessments, eligibility criteria, disability living allowance, respite breaks, OTs, SENCOs, and other sets of initials. "But I would not dare to call myself a carer. The work that full-time carers or those with little extra help do is unbelievable." Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague will stand in for Mr Cameron as Conservative leader while he takes time off, it is understood.
Monk Posted 25 February 2009 Posted 25 February 2009 Terrible news, both he and Gordon Brown have experienced something incomprehensible to most of us. No matter how much we dislike our politicians you have hand it to them that dealing with such a tragedy whilst in the public eye must be a testing time.
Jon the Hat Posted 25 February 2009 Posted 25 February 2009 A terrible time for David and his family, my thoughts are with them. Raising a child with disabilities is clearly a profoundly challenging and rewarding experience, and one which they always dealt with publicly with the utmost care and love. Rest in peace Ivan.
Shrenchel Posted 25 February 2009 Posted 25 February 2009 Tragic news, very sad. The outlook caring for his son seems to have given him on disability policy is one of the few things I like about the plastic disabled. Anyone have him in the death list?
Webbo Posted 25 February 2009 Posted 25 February 2009 I feel a bit of a hypocrite posting in here after making a few unkind comments about Jade Goody. As a parent I can only guess how awful it is to lose a child, especially one so young. I was genuinely sadden when I heard this news.
Samilktray Posted 25 February 2009 Posted 25 February 2009 Had to spend alot of time around someone who suffered from this late last year. Horrible to go through, hope he copes as well as can be expected with this.
Thracian Posted 25 February 2009 Posted 25 February 2009 Emotionally, there is little hurts more than the death of an infant as we found out in our own family not many months back. RIP fella.
MPH Posted 25 February 2009 Posted 25 February 2009 Having worked in the childrens intensive care unit at the royal infirmary ( i left 3 months ago to go to the states) i can only say that there is very little else more painful on this earth than the torment a parents goes through when their child dies. David Cameron, my thoughts are most certainly with you and your family at this time...
Raj Posted 25 February 2009 Posted 25 February 2009 I dont think i could live if anything ever happened to our little one. Politics,religion, and stuff pale into insignificance in situations like these. RIP
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