GettyA Paralympian who’s going for gold in the upcoming Paralympic Games has revealed she’s considering Euthanasia due to her painful spinal condition.
37-year-old Marieke Vervoot, a Belgian athlete, has been unable to sleep due to her painful and incurable spinal degenerative disease which has left her in a wheelchair.
According to The Daily Mail, Marieke has managed to overcome her situation and become one of the world’s leading Paralympians, taking home the gold in the 100m sprint and silver in 200m in the T52 class at the London Paralympic Games in 2012.
GettyMarieke’s hoping she can triumph once again at the Rio Games which start tomorrow.
Despite this, Marieke has already decided that this will be her last Olympic games due to her deteriorating condition.
Speaking to the French newspaper Le Parisien, Marieke said:
Everybody sees me laugh with my gold medal, but no one sees the dark side. I suffer greatly, sometimes sleeping only ten minutes a night – and still go for the gold. Rio is my last wish.
GettyThe Paralympian has even begun to consider euthanasia to end her suffering. In an interview with The Daily Express she explained that upon returning to Belgium she’s going to weigh up her options after completing a ‘bucket list’ of items.
She said:
After Rio, I will stop my sports career, I want to see what life brings me and I will try to enjoy the finest moments. I have a bucket list, including stunt flying, and I have started thinking about euthanasia.
In spite of my condition, I have been able to experience things that others can only dream of.
Euthanasia became legal in Belgium back in 2002, and requires the written consent of three doctors.
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.