Charlotte Caldwell says the ‘fear’ of losing her son Billy is what drives her as she continues to petition the NHS for access.

Speaking to The Cannavist on August 1, Charlotte explained that it is the fear of waking up and realising Billy has had a detrimental seizure is what keeps her going, as she continues to tirelessly campaign to have her son’s medical cannabis prescription reinstated on the NHS. 

Speaking to the editor of The Cannavist from her home in Northern Ireland, proud mum Charlotte said: 

“I think if I was entirely honest, it’s fear. Fear that I will go to bed and Billy would have a seizure… It’s fear that keeps me going. If I give up, Billy will not survive.” 

Billy, now 15, was diagnosed with a severe form of epilepsy as a young child, which could see him experience hundreds of seizures per day. Unless he is taking his cannabis medicine, currently supplied on a private basis by Canadian company Aurora. 

To medical cannabis patients and advocates, Billy is known as the boy who changed the law on cannabis-based medicine in the UK in November 2018. 

Billy has been prescribed medical cannabis twice by the NHS, however both prescriptions were later withdrawn. 

At the time of this interview, Billy had been seizure free for 16-weeks. 

Charlotte added:

“The campaign cannot stop. We have to continue. 

“We will only be able to succeed when all of the parties that can make the change happen work together.

“Everybody must come together to try to improve the lives of these patients and get access for them. Not just for Billy, there are thousands.”

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH CHARLOTTE HERE: