‘This is proof ME is a real, physical disease. It is a devastating and cruel illness’
STUDENT DIED AFTER SUFFERING FROM ILLNESS FOR YEARS
A BRAVE young woman who spent years battling ME died as a result of the illness, an inquest has heard.
Student Merryn Crofts died of severe malnutrition caused by the withdrawal of life support nutrition a condition which was caused by her myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). It is only the second time such a conclusion has been made in the UK, according to the ME Association.
Merryn’s family hope more will now be done to help the 250,000 people across the UK affected by the ‘devastating and cruel illness’ - which some people refuse to believe exists.
A coroner concluded that Merryn’s long-standing condition contributed to her death. “That was the underlying cause that led to everything,” coroner Catherine McKenna said.
Recording a narrative conclusion at Rochdale Coroners’ Court, Ms McKenna said Merryn bore her suffering and pain ‘with dignity and grace.’ “She knew her own mind and had confidence in her ability to make decisions on how she wanted to be cared for,” she added.
Merryn’s family hope the coroner’s conclusion will help change the way ME patients are treated.
They said: “This is proof, as if proof was needed, that ME is a real, physical disease. It is a devastating and cruel illness that has robbed us of a beautiful daughter and sister.
“We have never wanted Merryn’s death to be in vain and we hope this inquest conclusion is a milestone in the way ME patients are treated from now on. “This is the outcome Merryn would have wanted and we take comfort in the hope that more will now be done to benefit the 250,000 people in the UK who suffer from ME. Merryn was desperate to raise awareness of ME and donated her brain and spinal column to research into the illness. But more research still has to be done.” Merryn’s mum Clare Norton described her daughter as a popular and energetic young drama student. “She was a bundle of energy,” she said. “She would bounce into a room. She would skip, hop and jump. Merryn was the kind of person people would gravitate towards.” But her life changed Merryn’s mum Clare Norton forever when, at 15, she developed severe swelling around her face, hands and feet. She was prescribed antibiotics but her symptoms worsened and she became chronically fatigued.
Merryn ended up having to use a wheelchair and suffered several bouts of sickness at school before eventually being diagnosed with ME in 2012. As the months passed Merryn developed an extreme sensitivity to light and touch, could not stand much noise, suffered ‘infection after infection’ and eventually became bed-bound.
She lost weight fast, could only manage to eat around 200 calories a day and became unable to swallow. As a result she had to be fed through a tube fitted to her stomach.
Merryn died at home on May 23, 2017 - just 10 days after her 21st birthday.