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East Kilbride boy Cole Thomson will be one of only 10 children in Scotland to receive life-changing medical cannabis treatment, the East Kilbride News can exclusively reveal.

Following a hard-fought campaign to source a cannabis-based treatment for the brave six-year-old’s crippling drug resistant epilepsy, it was confirmed yesterday that Cole will be prescribed the cannabidiol (CBD) medication, Epidiolex.

The Newlandsmuir boy’s condition has deteriorated rapidly in the last year, now suffeing up to 10 stroke-like seizures a day, leaving him paralysed and unable to speak.

The News backed a 14,000-strong petition by East Kilbride Community Trust appealing to the Scottish government to allow access to the medicine to help save and improve his life.

(Image: East Kilbride News)

It is hoped the cannabis oil treatment will stop progressive and potentially permanent damage to Cole’s brain.

His delighted mum Lisa Quarrell, 37, said this week: “I have a mixture of emotions to be finally told Cole will have a prescription for Epidiolex from Glasgow – I’m proud, happy, relieved, angry and guilty.

“I’m so happy for Cole to finally be able to access medical cannabis in the UK and especially in Scotland.

“However, the journey to get here has been tough and exhausting which is completely unnecessary and unfair.

“There are still hundreds of children and young adults – some are part of our Parents of Hope group – who are still waiting and have been for years.

“Some with children who stop breathing and turn blue every night due to seizures, who are too drained to fight this fight publicly.

“My fight started about Cole and will always be about him. However, our journey brought us to where we are today and what we now know cannot be forgotten.”

Up to 7000 children have epilepsy in Scotland, but just 10 out of 500 Scots children are set to benefit from Epidiolex – the only medical cannabis drug available in the UK for children living with the condition.

(Image: East Kilbride News)

Between now and May, just five kids will receive the medicinal cannabis oil at Glasgow Children’s Hospital and five at Edinburgh Sick Children’s Hospital.

Despite new regulations coming into force in November allowing doctors to prescribe medicinal cannabis, children are being denied access to CBD because of restrictive guidelines.

Cole was refused treatment because he suffers from focal epilepsy and the brain defect cortical dysplasia.

Mum-of-two Lisa pleaded with policy-makers and begged for backing from politicians while raising thousands of pounds for other desperate families.

She also launched the UK-wide Parents of Hope campaign to push for the reform of the current laws around the use of cannabis as medication.

With no sign of support from those in power, Cole’s desperate family were forced to begin the process of sourcing whole plant cannabis treatment from Spain.

Monica Lennon MSP brought Cole’s case to the attention of Nicola Sturgeon at First Minister’s Questions last Thursday – his family were offered the treatment the following day.

Lisa added: “Cole is one of only five children in Glasgow picked out a hat, and 10 from the whole of Scotland to get Epidiolex until more is available in May. I have no doubt this is because I have been shouting about our pain and struggles. Now, after being told no for nearly a year, we finally get it.

“I will get epidiolex in a few weeks and I pray this works for Cole because it’s all the UK have to offer.

(Image: EAST KILBRIDE NEWS)

“If this doesn’t work there’s nowhere to go here as my friend Karen Gray is discovering as she begs for her son Murray to be given a medication called bedrolite which has already proved successful and life-changing and is already prescribed to children in England under private prescriptions.

“I want to continue to fight for all the children waiting and also for there to be a much clearer route for exhausted parents and for us to have options – not to feel pressure to accept the one thing on offer.

“Also, I need to know there’s a plan B if epidiolex doesn’t work for Cole.”

Lisa thanked everyone involved in Cole’s campaign especially Monique McAdams of East Kilbride Community Trust, MP Dr Lisa Cameron, Monica Lennon MSP and everyone who fundraised for and donated to Parents of Hope.

A spokesman for NHS Greater Glasgow And Clyde said Epidiolex was “not yet licensed in the UK,” which means the administration of the drug to any patient is subject to a clinical assessment.