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Billy Caldwell to return home as battle for cannabis medication 'won'

Charlotte Caldwell and her son Billy at Heathrow Airport last month after having a supply of cannabis oil used to treat his severe epilepsy confiscated on their return from Canada.
Charlotte Caldwell and her son Billy at Heathrow Airport last month after having a supply of cannabis oil used to treat his severe epilepsy confiscated on their return from Canada. Charlotte Caldwell and her son Billy at Heathrow Airport last month after having a supply of cannabis oil used to treat his severe epilepsy confiscated on their return from Canada.

CO TYRONE boy Billy Caldwell is expected to return home within a week after his medical team in Belfast started a landmark 'application process' for medicinal cannabis.

The 12-year-old Castlederg child suffers from severe epilepsy and has spent almost a month in London with his mother Charlotte, who is campaigning for the law to be changed after cannabis oil was confiscated from them at Heathrow airport.

He was rushed to hospital after suffering a severe fit following the withdrawal of his illegal medication, which Ms Caldwell bought in Canada.

His case prompted the British government to create a panel of experts who have begun accepting applications for medicinal cannabis.

If given approval, doctors can then start writing prescriptions for their patient.

A 20-day emergency licence was granted for Billy after he became critically ill.

An email sent to Ms Caldwell by the paediatric neurology team at the Royal Belfast hospital for Sick Children has confirmed they are to "complete the application for cannabis-based products for Billy and present them to the expert panel".

The letter also stated that the team would be moving "quickly and effectively" and "without ambiguity", according to a report in the Daily Mirror.

Ms Caldwell described the development as "history in the making" and said "the fight for Billy has been won".

"This is what we have been waiting for. This is what every parent of a child who believes they need medicinal cannabis has been waiting for. Time is ticking by for each of those children," she said.