Pictures of Margaret Thomas and Karen Louise, her granddaughter, aged 13 and a half months. (Click on pictures to see the full versions.)
Unbelievably Margaret Thomas was excluded from the decision as to whether her daughter should live or die. As Karen's loving mother for 26 years she was to be ignored and the wishes of Michael, who had ultimate power in law, would be those that were respected.
Unfortunately Michael had decided with the doctors a year after Karen's accident that if she became ill she should be allowed to die. Margaret's only course of action was to go to the Press to try and get the power of public opinion to back her in her campaign to give Karen every chance to live and to recover. Despite her efforts it was not enough to save Karen's life. In November 1996 she developed a kidney infection that remained untreated and this, followed by pneumonia, meant that she passed away on December 3rd 1996.
The pain of such a terrible death will be something that will stay with Margaret Thomas and all those who love Karen for the rest of their lives. I cannot begin to describe the utter despair at the loss of her daughter when I spoke to Margaret by telephone on March 6th, 1997, but I also know that she is an incredibly strong woman who will never rest until action is taken to ensure that in law this can never happen again.
Margaret knows that Karen should have been given a better chance of recovery but without the law on her side everything became a catalogue of events that were discovered too late. When I talked to Margaret, she told me the hospital discovered too late that Karen had fluid on the brain. She is now haunted by the fact that if this had been discovered earlier Karen might be alive today.
Why was this discovered so late when Margaret had continually begged the hospital to scan Karen?
Why was Karen not given the chance to receive the best treatment in the world for those with injuries such as hers at the Royal Hospital, Putney?
Why was it, despite her mother's request, that Karen was never moved to London where it was considered that she could recover enough to establish clearly whether she wished to live or to die?
There will never be satisfactory answers to questions like these until the law upholds the rights of those who are mentally incapacitated. Whatever accident or injury has befallen a person it is of paramount importance that they be given every chance to make their wishes clear. The life of each individual is a God-given gift. No-one, including next of kin, should have the right to rule the life of another human being or the power to allow someone to die. Karen's life was ruled in the end by those who did not love her and Margaret's life, even beyond Karen's death, is dominated by Michael who will grant her no access to her granddaughter Karen Louise.
The law must recognise that being next of kin is not adequate to protect those who are at their most vulnerable. Without radical change there will be many other people who suffer and die.
Please join us in this campaign to see justice given to people like Karen, Richard and those for whom you care. We cannot do this without your help.
Please e-mail or write to Margaret or myself with any support you can give or ideas that you have so that we may begin to bring about change.
We have formed a campaign list of over 1,000 names and plan to have contacted these individuals and societies by the end of April 1997, seeking their support for changes to the law to protect the mentally incapacitated. We also plan to launch a petition with a target number of 25,000 names.
We hope to hear from you very soon and promise to answer every e-mail or letter received.
