There’s no denying just how far Cole Thomson has come since he started taking his ‘miracle’ medicine.
Looking the picture of health standing proudly in his crisp white taekwondo suit, fists clenched and with a huge smile, the brave youngster is a far cry from how he looked just three years ago.
Confined to a wheelchair, his tiny frail body wracked by multiple paralysing epileptic seizures a day, his desperate family could only watch his dramatic deterioration, fearing for his life.
Now back at East Kilbride's Master Hutton Fitness, the nine-year-old fighter is living proof that medical cannabis is life-changing for children with epilepsy.
The family are waiting to hear if a motion to Parliament by East Kilbride MSP Collette Stevenson has secured enough support for a members' debate on access to medical cannabis for children with drug resistant epilepsy.
If it achieves cross-party support, it will be the first debate of its kind heard in the Holyrood Chamber.
Mum Lisa Quarrell told Lanarkshire Live : “Cole has been at taekwondo since he was five, but when his seizures stopped him walking and talking he unfortunately wasn’t fit enough to continue.
“This was really upsetting for Cole and me because Master Hutton Fitness is a fantastic facility and teaches the kids so much more than taekwondo.
“Cole tried to go back before COVID, but his confidence was still low and he was still struggling with PTSD after what he’d gone through.”
Like most kids his age, Cole started watching the popular Karate Kid film spin off Cobra Kai during lockdown, with the Netflix series giving him the urge to get back to martial arts.
“He started back a few weeks ago and is loving it, his face lights up walking in and has already made some new friends,” added Lisa.
“Master Hutton, Jack Louban and the team welcomed Cole back and he has felt part of the team instantly. It’s another big step forward for Cole and makes me so proud and happy to see him back doing what he enjoys.”
Mark Hutton and his family have supported Cole’s Campaign from the very beginning and pay a monthly donation to help fund his private cannabis oil prescription.
Cole receives Bedrolite privately as his NHS consultant is not allowed to prescribe unlicensed medical cannabis due to a lack of robust evidence of the drug's safety, quality or efficacy.
However, Lisa argues Cole's 'miracle' medicine has saved his life.
With a three year battle for government funding getting nowhere, the family struggle to source £1300 every month to pay for the drug and have already forked out a massive £80,000 to keep the youngster seizure-free in that time.
Master Hutton said: “Lisa, Cole and his brother Dylan have been with us since the kids were babies.
"The very least we could do was help out when we heard what the family was going through.
“We’re all thrilled to have Cole back, it’s inspirational seeing him back on the floor. And he’s flying, the difference in him is spectacular.
“Lisa is a warrior for her children.”
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