A Colombian woman suffering from a degenerative disease is about to become the first patient to be euthanized in Colombia without a diagnosis of terminal illness.
Martha Sepulveda, 51, suffers from motor neuron disease (MND) which, despite a dramatically shortened life expectancy, is not classified as a terminal illness.
Martha has suffered for three years from MND, a neurodegenerative disease that results in the loss of motor neurons that control voluntary muscle movements.
Martha requested euthanasia on July 27, just four days after the Constitutional Court gave the green light to grant the right to euthanasia to people who suffer “from severe physical or mental suffering, resulting from bodily harm or suffering. a serious and incurable disease ”.
The La Fm news site reports that she has made an appointment for the procedure on Sunday, October 10.
MND left Martha unable to walk unaided, and her ability to perform basic tasks became extremely difficult.
“I am totally calm. I’m a Catholic, I consider myself a strong believer in God, but, I repeat, God doesn’t want me to suffer and I believe he doesn’t want anyone to do it, ”Martha told Caracol Television.
“No father wants to see his children suffer.”
She said everyone supported her in her decision-making, except her mother.
“My mother is 83 years old, she is very lucid, I think it is because of the religious question that she thinks this way,” Martha said.
The Catholic Church has often expressed its opposition to euthanasia on the grounds that all human life is sacred and therefore acts such as euthanasia and abortion go against the will of God.
Martha said in the interview that she enjoyed the last days of her life spending time with friends and family.
Her son Fredrico also supports her decision, which Martha says means a lot to her as she understands how difficult it is for him and the rest of his family.
“I saw it as the greatest act of love I have ever done in my life because I need my mother, I want her with me, almost in any condition, but I know that she no longer lives but simply survives, “Frederico mentioned.
“Now I am focusing on making her happy, making her laugh, remembering a bit and making her time on Earth, which she left behind, a little more enjoyable.”
The Colombian Constitutional Court decriminalized euthanasia for terminally ill patients in 1997, and in July of this year it was extended to non-terminally ill patients.
