A French woman who is badly disfigured by facial tumours caused by a rare and incurable disease has appealed to President Nicolas Sarkozy to allow her to die by euthanasia.
The debilitating disease is so rare that only 200 cases of the disease had been reported globally in the last 20 years.
In an interview with the Agence France-Presse news agency, former school teacher Chantal Sebire, 52, begged for the right to end the "atrocious" suffering inflicted on her by the disease which has rendered her face unrecognisable because of growing tumours.
"An animal would not be allowed to endure what I have to endure," she said from her home in Plombieres-les-Dijon in central France, asking French media and Mr Sarkozy to allow her a dignified death.
Ms Sebire told AFP that she suffered from a very rare disease called esthesioneuroblastoma, which attacks the nasal cavity.
It had left her blind and had robbed her of almost all other senses, leaving her in terrible pain.
"In 2000, I lost my sense of smell and taste, and then the tumour evolved and ate into my jaws, before attacking the eye socket. I lost my sight in October last year," she said.
The disease caused "atrocious bouts of pain that can last up to four hours at a time".
when i see people like that i always reflect on how lucky i am to live the life i do, without any sickness or disfigurement. My heart aches for her and for the millions of people with all sorts of diseases.
Posted by: TimY | Friday, February 29, 2008 at 12:52 AM
You are having a laugh!!!!!!! why post a pic of that bird you pulled last night kid?????? She said she wanted your relationship to stay a secret. have a word with yourself Rab.
Posted by: chuck | Friday, February 29, 2008 at 07:22 PM
oh my God, help her.
Posted by: angelica escalera | Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at 06:27 PM