Woman who had asked for euthanasia in Soledad, Atlántico, after attending a spiritual retreat said that the angels convinced her not to do so

Fabiola Betancourt is a 70-year-old woman, who lives in the municipality of Soledad, in the coastal department of Atlántico, but was born in Medellín. For a few months he had stated that, because of his six diseases, which cause him constant pain and prevent him from walking, he wanted his health-promoting company to make arrangements to undergo euthanasia.

But now, after Easter, a video has gone viral in which he expresses his desire to live, despite his chronic and incurable ailments. The woman said that, during a retreat, she met angels who convinced her to continue living, causing her to desist from her decision.

“I met some angels and those angels took me to a farm where I met God and Mary, because I was born into a Catholic family, but I haven't practiced religion for many years, I already want to live,” Betancourt said.

The woman in the recording reported that she has received calls from different members of several churches, who indicated that they have prayed for them and their health, in addition that they will help her get a walker, so that she can move more easily.

According to him, Betancourt suffers from heart failure, renal, venous, vascular deficiency, osteoarthritis and diabetes. Earlier, when she announced her situation, she told the newspaper El Heraldo that, over time, the diseases that afflict her have degenerated her body, which has caused her to suffer severe pain every day. Because she lives alone in a room for rent in the El Sol neighborhood, and because she does not have close family members who can help her manage her condition, she asked EPS Mutualser to euthanize her.

And he told the media outlet that: “I don't have children, I have two sisters who live in a village. That's why I'm going to seek euthanasia legally. I'll keep finding out, if I don't get it, I'll wear it myself.”

It was known that Betancourt lives alone in a room in the Villa Sol neighborhood and does not have the resources to survive, since she only receives 80,000 pesos a month from her health insurance.

“Every time I go to medical appointments, I ask health professionals to guide me in order to make this request, but no one gives me the corresponding information to carry out euthanasia that is already legal in our country,” I had told RCN Radio at the time.

Upon the patient's request, her EPS Mutualser paid her a visit to provide her with comprehensive support, with psychological support and medical processes. The health entity had said it would support Betancourt's decision, although they will give her other palliative care options to improve her quality of life.

In Colombia since 2015, euthanasia is legal. But, it should be noted that until last July 2021, the Constitutional Court extended the right to dignified death to non-terminal patients who suffered intense physical or mental suffering from bodily injury or serious and incurable illnesses.