Rest in Peace, Chantal Sebire
I'm glad she had the control over her future as she wanted. I've been following this case for the past few months
Warning: Links posted have an image of a woman with a major facial deformity and may cause stress to some readers. For those who wish to read the story, I've copied them here:
From: here
Chantal Sebire's euthanasia plea rejected
A FRENCH court has rejected a request from a 52-year-old severely disfigured former schoolteacher for the right to die, in a case that has stirred much emotion in France.
The high court in Dijon, eastern France, decided to side with the prosecution which argued current legislation does not allow Chantal Sebire's doctor to prescribe lethal drugs.
In her appeal to the court, Ms Sebire said she did not want to endure further pain and subject herself to an irreversible worsening of her condition. She asked the court to allow her doctor to help her end her life.
A mother of three who lives in the Bourgogne region of eastern France, Ms Sebire drew a strong outpour of sympathy when she appealed in a television interview last month for the right to "depart peacefully''.
Before-and-after pictures of the woman, her face severely deformed, have been featured in the press and her account of frightened children who run away at the sight of her has drawn sympathy.
Ms Sebire learnt in 2002 that she had developed an esthesioneuroblastoma, an uncommon malignant tumour in the nasal cavity, which she said has led to "atrocious'' suffering.
"In 2000, I lost the sense of smell and taste ... and I lost my sight in October 2007,'' she said in the television interview.
"One would not allow an animal to go through what I have endured,'' she said before urging President Nicolas Sarkozy to intervene and grant her request.
Commenting on the case, Justice Minister Rachida Dati said last week doctors were not there to prescribe lethal drugs.
Legislation adopted in 2005 allows families to request life-support equipment for a terminally-ill patient be switched off, but does not allow a doctor to take action to end a patient's life.
Mr Sarkozy asked his chief adviser on health issues to contact Ms Sebire and seek a second opinion on her condition.
Ms Sebire has said she will not appeal the decision rendered today and she would find life-terminating drugs through other means.
"I now know how to get my hands on what I need and if I don't get it in France, I will get it elsewhere,'' she said.
Only 200 cases of the disease have been recorded worldwide in two decades.
From: here
Chantal Sebire found dead at home
A FRENCH woman with a rare facial tumour, whose plea for doctor-assisted suicide was rejected by a court earlier this week, has died.
The Associated Press reports Chantal Sebire, 52, was found dead in her home in eastern France. It is not yet known how she died.
Ms Sebire was diagnosed with esthesioneuroblastoma eight years ago, which left her nearly blind and with no sense of taste or smell. As the tumour burrowed through her sinuses and nasal cavities, her nose swelled to several times its size and one eye socket was pushed out of her head, AP reports.
In a television interview, Ms Sebire urged French President Nicolas Sarkozy to intervene and grant her request for a prescription of lethal drugs.
"In 2000, I lost the sense of smell and taste ... and I lost my sight in October 2007."
"One would not allow an animal to go through what I have endured."
On Monday, a court in Dijon rejected her plea for a doctor to administer a lethal dose of barbiturates.
After the decision was handed down, Ms Sebire said she would find life-terminating drugs through other means.
"I now know how to get my hands on what I need and if I don't get it in France, I will get it elsewhere," she said.
The case revived debate in France over the right to die.