Boy who changed law on medicinal cannabis thriving as he turns 21
Billy Caldwell, a young man whose severe epilepsy was treated with cannabis-based medicine, has celebrated his 21st birthday. His case was instrumental in changing UK laws regarding the prescription of medicinal cannabis.
Why it matters
This story highlights the intersection of personal health advocacy and legislative change, demonstrating how individual cases can influence national policy.
Image caption, Charlotte Caldwell and her son Billy who, against the odds, recently celebrated his 21st birthday
For Charlotte Caldwell, celebrating her son Billy's 21st birthday was something she feared would never happen.
Billy Caldwell, from Castlederg in County Tyrone, has a severe form of epilepsy, which at one point had him suffering hundreds of "life-threatening" seizures a day.
After a legal battle, Billy was prescribed a cannabis-based medicine which stopped his seizures.
Billy is now three years seizure-free and "not just surviving, but thriving", his mother said.
Behind the birthday celebrations is a story that helped change UK law .
Billy was born with severe life-threatening form of epilepsy that proved extremely difficult to control. At the height of his illness he was having between 300 and 800 seizures a day.
"He had been tried on cocktails of anti-epileptic pharmaceuticals and they just weren't working" Charlotte said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in