PEACE FOR KELLY SMITH-MAY

Kelly needs our support to end her suffering.

Please contribute what you can so her family can bring her to Pegasos, a Swiss facility where her loved ones can be with her in her final moments.

From their website: “Pegasos Swiss Association is a not-for-profit voluntary assisted dying (VAD) organization based in Basel, Switzerland. Pegasos believes that it is the human right of every rational adult of sound mind, regardless of state of health, to choose the manner and timing of their death.”

Kelly has been suffering constantly, every day since she got Covid in December of 2021. Long Covid progressed to severe myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS), a neurological disease. She spends all day every day in the dark, painfully sensitive to light, noise, smells, and movement and touch.

From the International Primer on ME :

“Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME): complex, acquired multi-systemic disease Pathophysiology: Profound dysfunction/dysregulation of the neurological control system results in faulty communication and interaction between the central nervous system and major body systems, notably the immune and endocrine systems, dysfunction of cellular energy metabolism and ion transport, and cardiac impairments.

Cardinal symptom: a pathological low threshold of fatigability that is characterized by an inability to produce sufficient energy on demand. There are measurable, objective, adverse responses to normal exertion, resulting in exhaustion, extreme weakness, exacerbation of symptoms, and a prolonged recovery period.”

Kelly’s disease has progressed to a very severe state. She can no longer sit, stand, or walk. She can barely talk. She has severe insomnia and when she can get a few hours of sleep, it’s unrestorative. She awakens just as exhausted. Due to painful neurological symptoms, she can’t tolerate music, TV, or interacting with friends.

These are activities every other disease allows, but not severe ME. Her isolation is extreme. Severe ME has been compared to end-stage cancer, AIDS, and Parkinson’s, with the quality of life being the lowest of all of them due to these factors.

She did not come to this decision easily. There is no cure and all possible treatments have failed her. Kelly has seen doctors, been to facilities, and exhausted every recommended means of improving her condition with no results.

She cannot care for her four children whom she absolutely adores with every piece of her heart. She cannot spend time with her loving husband.Kelly is totally dependant on her husband for all personal care needs and also has to eat and drink led down.Kelly has to toilet on the bed with the help of her husband as she's too weak to now use a commode.kelly goes 4 to 6 weeks without having her hair washed in a inflatable bowl which goes on the bed,due to extreme sensitivity to touch,another human beings movements and presence of just being in her bedroom and water on her skin,this amplifies kellys symptoms and has devasting effects where she pays the consequences of trying to remain clean and hygienic. Kelly describes this illness as ' A living death sentance ' and feels like she's being poisoned every minute of the day.She suffers continuous pain throughout her body that doctors are unable to relieve, leaving her with no choice but to end her own suffering. She has tried to hold on, but 22 months of daily suffering is enough.Kelly is physically,emotionally,mentally and spiritually drained and deteriorating everyday,usually needing help to even be able to roll over in the bed.

Your kindness and generosity will give to Kelly the gift of freedom from pain with respect for her family, who support her choice and want to honor the woman she is.

After the UK denied a petition with more than 50,000 signatures requesting assisted death with dignity for citizens in extreme suffering, Kelly was forced to look outside of the UK for help. Pegasos is the ideal answer with the fewest hurdles and the least red tape. We are so grateful she has found this answer. The only thing standing between Kelly and relief from her suffering is now financial.

Kelly’s family will carry her by camper van via euro tunnel to France, then to Switzerland. They are not able to afford the travel, accommodations, and fees for Pegasos. Fees alone for pegasos will be £10,000.

We are hoping the campaign reaches over 10.000 so kellys family can use monies to use for travelling ( petrol,adaptions to van/camper van) ,hotel in Switzerland,renewal of passports for Kelly and her husband stuart.

Please give generously so that Kelly’s loving family can make her wish a reality.

Written by a close friend who has been on this awful inhumane journey with Kelly for 23 months.