A woman died after going to a chiropractor to treat a neck injury she’d suffered while exercising at the gym.
29-year-old Tyneside woman Joanna Kowalczyk discharged herself from hospital and went to a chiropractor who did not see her medical records for an alternative treatment.
During her fourth session with the chiropractor in October 2021 she felt dizzy, developed double vision, had a tingling in her right hand and foot, and struggled with speech.
After several hours she was eventually able to go home but was soon afterwards taken to hospital where she later died.
Writing in a prevention of future death’s report, the coroner said: “Joanna Kowalczyk died due to a combination of the consequences of chiropractic treatment following a naturally occurring medical event, on a background of an undiagnosed medical condition.”
She suffered a neck injury at the gym and died after her fourth session with a chiropractor. (Getty Stock Photo)
Assistant coroner for Gateshead and South Tyneside Leila Benyounes found that it was likely Kowalczyk had undiagnosed connective tissue disorder which made her vulnerable to arterial dissections.
The 29-year-old’s medical history included migraines and joint hypermobility, but this was information the chiropractor did not see.
When Kowalczyk was exercising at the gym on 26 September, 2021, she felt a crack in her neck which the report says was likely to be bilateral arterial dissections.
This is a tear in the layers of the carotid artery located in the neck, and can lead to life-threatening conditions such as a stroke or a bleed on the brain.
The day after her injury the 29-year-old visited the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead and had a CT scan, but left before a lumbar puncture could be carried out having researched alternative treatments while she was in hospital.
She discharged herself from hospital and sought treatment at a chiropractor’s. (Google Maps)
The coroner’s report said that on the fourth session Kowalczyk ‘sustained acute dissections in the same location as the previous dissections during the chiropractic manipulation’.
Her chiropractor was concerned that she had suffered a stroke but tested negative, and although two people advised her to go to hospital she decided against it.
After several hours at the chiropractor’s, her partner helped her return home since she couldn’t walk properly, and the chiropractor gave her a note telling her to go to hospital if she felt any worse.
Am ambulance was called and the 29-year-old was checked for signs of a stroke, while she was diagnosed with a migraine.
The next day she fell ‘gravely ill’ and paramedics rushed her to hospital where she died on 19 October, 2021.
A General Chiropractic Council spokesman said: “We expect chiropractors to provide good quality care that is patient-centred, safe and effective, and that is consistent with the current standards for good healthcare practice.
“We will be carefully considering the important concerns raised by the coroner in her report and will respond directly to her.”
Featured Image Credit: Facebook
Joe Harker
29-year-old woman dies by euthanasia just after her birthday
Zoraya ter Beek had previously explained why she wanted to die
Warning: This article contains discussion of assisted dying that some readers may find distressing
A 29-year-old woman from the Netherlands has died by euthanasia shortly after her birthday.
In the weeks leading up to her death, Zoraya ter Beek had been open and honest about her reasons for seeking assistance in dying, having been granted the right to euthanasia on the grounds of mental suffering.
Before her death, she said she felt ‘relief’ at being granted the right to die, and that she’d been told the moment of her passing would be ‘like falling asleep’.
People in the Netherlands can be granted the right to die if they are experiencing ‘unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement’, and can demonstrate that they are fully mentally capable and informed of the decision they are making.
29-year-old Zoraya ter Beek has died by euthanasia. (RTL Nieuws/YouTube/Fress Press)
Zoraya had told The Guardian that she suffered from chronic depression, anxiety, trauma and unspecified personality disorder, explaining that she ‘continued to self-harm and feel suicidal’.
She had previously tried various therapies, medications and over 30 sessions of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), but they didn’t ‘fix the main issues’.
Now, a blog post from a friend of ter Beek confirmed that she had died on 22 May at 1:25pm local time.
It read that she ‘worked tirelessly to ensure a correct image of euthanasia in cases of psychological suffering’.
Her social media accounts were also updated to confirm that Zoraya had died.
Before going through with euthanasia, Zoraya had said that she would be given a sedative and then administered with drugs that would stop her heart.
She also said that her partner would be there with her, but that she’d said it would be alright if he needed to leave the room.
Zoraya had previously spoken of losing hope the longer her treatments went on without success, until after 10 years she had exhausted all possible treatments and ‘accepted’ that there was no more which could be done, leading her to apply for assisted dying.
In the time before her death she had been speaking about the extensive safeguards put in place around assisted dying. (RTL Nieuws/YouTube/Fress Press)
“People think that when you’re mentally ill, you can’t think straight, which is insulting,” she had also told The Guardian of the process involved with requesting the right to euthanasia.
“I understand the fears that some disabled people have about assisted dying, and worries about people being under pressure to die. But in the Netherlands, we’ve had this law for more than 20 years.
“There are really strict rules, and it’s really safe. It’s a long and complicated process.
“It’s not like you ask for assisted dying on a Monday and you’re dead by Friday. I was on a waiting list for assessment for a long time, because there are so few doctors willing to be involved in assisted dying for people with mental suffering.
“Then you have to be assessed by a team, have a second opinion about your eligibility, and their decision has to be reviewed by another independent doctor.”
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.
Featured Image Credit: Facebook/X
Topics: Health, Mental Health, World News
Joe Harker
Boyfriend of 29-year-old woman who died by euthanasia reveals what her final wish was
He said he is both sad and happy following her death
Warning: This article contains discussion of assisted dying that some readers may find distressing
The boyfriend of a 29-year-old woman who died by euthanasia has revealed what her final wish was.
Zoraya ter Beek died at 1:25pm local time on 22 May, less than a month after her birthday, according to a blog post shared by a friend.
The Dutch woman had been very open and honest about seeking assisted dying, as she had been granted the right to euthanasia on the grounds of her mental health.
In the Netherlands, residents can be given this right if experiencing ‘unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement’ and are able to show they are fully mentally capable and informed of the decision they are making.
She previously explained to The Guardian how she suffered from anxiety, trauma, chronic depression and unspecified personality disorder.
29-year-old Zoraya ter Beek has died by euthanasia. (RTL Nieuws/YouTube/Fress Press)
ter Beek described how she ‘continued to self-harm and feel suicidal’.
After trying various therapies and medications, as well over 30 sessions of electroconvulsive therapy, the ‘main issues’ still were not fixed.
So, the woman sought out assisted dying as her final resort, explaining her decision: “People think that when you’re mentally ill, you can’t think straight, which is insulting.”
She was with her boyfriend when she died earlier this week but no other further details of her assisted death have been shared.
A tribute believed to be from him said: “Now it’s quiet……no more texts……no tweets……no vague shizzle……no cat pictures……no motivational kick in the ass……
“And me? I am sad but happy at the same time. Sad to miss it, but there is so much understanding that the sadness doesn’t bother me. Happy because her greatest wish could come true in the way she hoped and wished. That she could go to sleep forever.”
And the announcement of her death echoed this ‘final wish’ to go as it read: “Zoraya passed away today at 1.25 pm. Or as she saw it herself: she went to sleep.
They shared her ‘final wish’. (RTL Nieuws/YouTube/Fress Press)
“Her last wish/request is to leave her loved ones alone and, if possible, to swallow disrespectful reactions. She understood that euthanasia for psychological suffering is still a ‘thing’ for some people.”
ter Beek previously explained the process around requesting the right to assisted dying: “I understand the fears that some disabled people have about assisted dying, and worries about people being under pressure to die. But in the Netherlands, we’ve had this law for more than 20 years.
“There are really strict rules, and it’s really safe. It’s a long and complicated process.
“It’s not like you ask for assisted dying on a Monday and you’re dead by Friday. I was on a waiting list for assessment for a long time, because there are so few doctors willing to be involved in assisted dying for people with mental suffering.
“Then you have to be assessed by a team, have a second opinion about your eligibility, and their decision has to be reviewed by another independent doctor.”
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.
Featured Image Credit: YouTube/TheFreePress
Topics: Mental Health, Health, World News
Jess Battison
Woman ending her life aged 29 explains how she’ll spend her final moments
Zoraya ter Beek says the process will take place in the next few weeks
Warning: This article contains discussion of assisted dying that some readers may find distressing.
A woman who has made the decision to end her life as she can no longer ‘cope’ with her mental health battle has explained how she will spend her final moments.
Zoraya ter Beek told of how she felt an immediate sense of ‘relief’ after officials in the Netherlands gave the final approval for her to die by assisted suicide last week, following a ‘long and complicated’ three and a half year process.
The 29-year-old – who was once an aspiring psychiatrist – suffers from chronic depression, anxiety, unspecified personality disorder and has been diagnosed with autism.
After undergoing years of therapy, medication and different treatments, Zoraya said she knew she ‘couldn’t cope with the way she lives now’ and applied for assisted dying in December 2020.
Under Dutch law passed in 2002, competent adults may be eligible for an assisted death under the condition that they are experiencing ‘unbearable suffering with no prospect improvement’ – which medics involved must also agree with.
The application process
After a three and a half year wait, Zoraya has finally been granted her wish and is expected to end her life in the coming weeks to escape her unbearable mental suffering.
Speaking to the Guardian, she said: “People think that when you’re mentally ill, you can’t think straight, which is insulting.
(RTL Nieuws/YouTube/Fress Press)
“I understand the fears that some disabled people have about assisted dying, and worries about people being under pressure to die. But in the Netherlands, we’ve had this law for more than 20 years.
“There are really strict rules, and it’s really safe. It’s a long and complicated process.
“It’s not like you ask for assisted dying on a Monday and you’re dead by Friday. I was on a waiting list for assessment for a long time, because there are so few doctors willing to be involved in assisted dying for people with mental suffering. “Then you have to be assessed by a team, have a second opinion about your eligibility, and their decision has to be reviewed by another independent doctor,” Zoraya said.
Treatments she has tried
She explained that she has ‘never hesitated’ about her decision while waiting for officials to rubber stamp it, even after meeting a new partner and hoping that the safe environment he offered would help her mental state.
“But I continued to self-harm and feel suicidal,” Zoraya said.
She has tried talking therapies, meds and more than 30 sessions of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and was initially optimistic, but says ultimately these methods ‘didn’t fix the main issues’.
“I thought I’d get better,” the 29-year-old continued. “But the longer the treatment goes on, you start losing hope.”
After ten years, Zoraya said she had exhausted all avenues of treatment and ‘accepted’ there was nothing that could be done, prompting her to apply for assisted dying.
She explained that the process – which she expects to take place sometime in the next few weeks – will be ‘like falling asleep‘ and that it will take place in her home with a medical team.
(RTL Nieuws/YouTube/Fress Press)
Final moments
Zoraya said: “They’ll start by giving me a sedative, and won’t give me the drugs that stop my heart until I’m in a coma.
“For me, it will be like falling asleep. My partner will be there, but I’ve told him it’s OK if he needs to leave the room before the moment of death.
“Now the point has come, we’re ready for it and we’re finding a certain peace. I feel guilty too. But sometimes when you love someone, you have to let them go.”
Zoraya admitted she has wrestled with feelings of guilt and says she is ‘not blind to the pain’ her choice is bringing her friends and family, but says she is still ‘absolutely determined to go through with it’.
She also touched on the ‘total sh*tstorm’ which came her way when her case was publicised across the world in April.
Zoraya said her inbox ‘exploded’ and she faced a lot of backlash, which forced her to delete all social media.
“People were saying: ‘Don’t do it, your life is precious.’ I know that,” she added. “Others said they had a cure, like a special diet or drugs. Some told me to find Jesus or Allah, or told me I’d burn in hell. I couldn’t handle all the negativity.”
Zoraya said doctors ask her at every stage if she is sure about her choice and remind her she can back out at any point, but she remains steadfast in her decision to end her own life.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.
Featured Image Credit: RTL Nieuws/YouTube/Fress Press
Topics: Health, Mental Health, World News, News
Olivia Burke
Two people questioned after 11-year-old boy died ‘immediately’ after doing ‘chroming’ trend
They were questioned following the death of Tommie-Lee Billington
Police questioned two people following the tragic and sudden death of Tommie-Lee Billington, an 11-year-old boy who passed away after attempting a dangerous online challenge.
The boy was found unresponsive at a friend’s house in Lancaster on 2 March, and his relatives said he’d attempted a challenge called ‘chroming’.
Chroming, known also as huffing or sniffing, involves huffing toxic chemicals such as solvents and aerosols.
Such things can get you high as they slow down your brain, sometimes causing symptoms like slurred speech, dizziness and hallucinations and vomiting.
In more serious cases it can cause seizures, suffocation and serious damage to internal organs.
Tommie’s grandmother Tina Burn said the 11-year-old ‘died instantly’ after trying what had become a trendy thing to do online.
An 11-year-old died earlier this year, and his family say it was due to ‘chroming’. (Facebook)
“Tommie-Lee went into cardiac arrest immediately and died right there and then. The hospital did everything to try and bring him back but nothing worked. He was gone,” his grandmother said of the boy.
“He had a heart of gold, just like his dad. Our family is utterly devastated.”
Lancashire Police questioned two people from Lancaster after the 11-year-old’s death, one of whom has been released on bail and another released under investigation.
Following Tommie’s death, a 25-year-old man was arrested and a 35-year-old woman interviewed voluntarily, and Lancashire Police have said that the man was arrested on suspicion of child cruelty, neglect, possession with intent to supply a drug and money laundering, he was released on bail pending further inquires.
The woman was voluntarily interviewed relating to allegations of possession with intent to supply.
Tommie-Lee with his dad Graham (Facebook)
Police said they were called by the ambulance service to attend a report of a sudden death, and that when they arrived at the address they found a boy unresponsive.
They said at the time: “We were called by the ambulance service at 12:04pm on Saturday March 2 to an address on Greenset Close, Lancaster, to a report of a sudden death.
“Emergency services attended an address and found an 11-year-old boy unresponsive. Sadly he was later pronounced dead. The death is currently being treated as unexplained and the coroner has been informed.
“A police investigation is ongoing and the boy’s family are being supported by officers. Our thoughts are with the boy’s loved ones at this incredibly sad time. If anyone has any information they are asked to contact police.”
The 11-year-old’s family described him as ‘bright’ and ‘energetic’, saying he ended up being ‘the life and soul of any room’.
His grandmother has demanded that social media bosses ‘do more’ to protect younger users from potentially lethal trends.
