The change of opinion of Belén, a 54-year-old woman from Santiago who suffers from multiple sclerosis, has paralyzed the euthanasia process that she herself had requested and which the Xunta authorized with the endorsement of justice.

Belén was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 20 and, from that moment, according to her euthanasia request dated last May, she began to register mobility difficulties, until her working life was conditioned and she became disabled.

The pain resulting from the disease worsened to such an extent, according to the report, that it became "unbearable," so the woman voluntarily requested euthanasia to end her life, avoiding suffering.

The Clinical Hospital of Santiago de Compostela then endorsed the patient's request and set euthanasia for this month of November, but obtained the refusal of her mother who turned to the association Abogados Cristianos to try to paralyze the process.

Both the patient's mother and Christian Lawyers understand that the circumstances do not exist to carry out this euthanasia because they consider that the premises on which the report that authorized the programmed death of this woman is based are full of "falsehoods" and "exaggerations".

With this argument, the Catholic association then asked the court for precautionary measures, within the framework of a complaint against the hospital, for which the Xunta referred the case to the Prosecutor's Office.

However, the Public Prosecutor's Office ruled in favour of the Galician Health Service (Sergas) on the understanding that the reports were correct and supported the euthanasia procedure of this woman since her assumption fits with the provisions of the law approved in 2021.

Therefore, the medical services set a date to pick up Belén, although the mother did not open the door, so the case was referred back to the courts.

But this week there has been a new change in this case since it has been the patient who through a notarial act requested the Ministry of Health to postpone this procedure indefinitely.

The law allows euthanasia seekers to interrupt the process at any time, even after the ethics committee has given the green light.

From the Xunta, both the president, Alfonso Rueda, and the Minister of Health, Julio García Comesaña, have shown their total respect for the decision of the woman from Compostela.

  • Euthanasia
  • Galicia