Lynn Gilderdale

From MEpedia, a crowd-sourced encyclopedia of ME and CFS science and history

Lynn Gilderdale (1977-2008) was a British woman who was fourteen when she became unwell after a routine tuberculosis inoculation. After several illnesses in quick succession she became ill with Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). She had been ill 17 years.

Life[edit | edit source]

Lynn was sporty and athletic and excelled at ballet. She rode horses and was an accomplished musician.

Illness[edit | edit source]

After a routine TB inoculation, Lynn never recovered and then flu, bronchitis, tonsillitis and glandular fever all occurred within three months. A psychiatrist took over her case when an ME specialist referred her to him as he never saw such a severe case of ME. The psychiatrist misdiagnosed her with hysteria.[1] She worsened and ME confined her to her bedroom and she was unable to move her legs, swallow or eat and at times recognize no one. She could no longer speak. She lived with tubes in her nose, chest and inner thigh. At age 20 she went through menopause. During her last hospitalization, she picked up four infections. In 2007 she attempted to take her own life.[2]

Graded exercise[edit | edit source]

Lynn was not put through graded exercise therapy (GET) but was put on an "activity regime". This consisted of doing certain amounts of exercise, schoolwork and socializing regardless of how she felt.[3] Lynn's mother wrote an open letter about her experience appealing for appropriate care for people with ME.[4]

Death[edit | edit source]

Lynn Gilderdale requested her mother's assistance in ending her life. Her mother administered 2 large doses of morphine and as the hours went on sleeping pills, antidepressants and further doses of morphine. After 28 hours, Lynn passed away December 4th, 2008 at age 31.[5]

Lynn had ganglionitis which is an infection of dorsal root ganglia of her spine, typical for a neurological illness.[6][7][8]

Legacy[edit | edit source]

Lynn was in the UK Documentary Voices from the Shadows. Kay Gilderdale, Lynn's mother, wrote the book One Last Goodbye and it is available at Amazon Easy Fundraising.[7] Kay dedicated it to her inspirational daughter. Kay continues to raise awareness and money for research in Lynn's name.[9]

TV news documentary[edit | edit source]

Panorama TV Show "I Helped My Daughter Die"[10]

Activity regime made her worse[edit | edit source]

Kay Gilderdale, Lynn's mother, is quoted on the MEActionUK Facebook page: "We watched as our daughter, under the care of those who said they could cure her, lost the ability to do almost anything."

The trial of Lynn's mother, Kay Gilderdale[edit | edit source]

  • Mother Charged With Attempted Murder of ME/CFS Daughter[13]

    Kay Gilderdale, 54, has been charged with the attempted murder of her bedridden daughter who suffered for 17 years from ME/CFS. Kay was the full-time caregiver to her daughter, Lynn Gilderdale, 31. Lynn died last December after a suspected morphine overdose reported by Mrs. Gilderdale’s ex-husband, Richard, a former police sergeant. If Gilderdale is convicted, she could spend the rest of her life in prison.

  • Mother cleared of ME daughter's attempted murder[14]

    A mother has been found not guilty of the attempted murder of her severely ill daughter who had ME. Bridget Kathleen Gilderdale, 55, of Stonegate, East Sussex, was cleared of attempting to murder Lynn Gilderdale by jurors at Lewes Crown Court.

"My mother, Kay Gilderdale, has today been found “not guilty” of attempted murder of Lynn Gilderdale my sister, in early December 2008.

On behalf of Mum and Lynn’s family and friends, I would like to thank the judge and the jury for their compassion and fair and just considerations.

We believe this “not guilty” verdict properly reflects the selfless actions my mother took, on finding that Lynn had decided to take her own life, to make her daughter’s final moments as peaceful and painless as possible.

These actions exhibit the same qualities of dedication, love and care that Mum unwaveringly demonstrated throughout the 17 years of Lynn’s severe illness. I am very proud of her, and I hope that she will now be afforded the peace she deserves to rebuild her life and finally grieve the death of her daughter.

Thank you very much."

This statement was issued by Lynn's brother, Stephen, after the verdict was issued.

Media about Lynn Gilderdale[edit | edit source]

Lynn's diary[edit | edit source]

See also[edit | edit source]

Learn more[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "Why should you care about M.E.?". Tanya Marlow - Thorns and Gold. May 8, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  2. ↑ Gammell, Caroline (2010). "Lynn Gilderdale: how a 14-year-old was condemned to a life lived from a bed". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Why should you care about M.E.?". Tanya Marlow - Thorns and Gold. May 8, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Gilderdale, Kay (July 2018). "Appeal for appropriate care" (PDF). The 25% ME Group.
  5. ↑ Laville, Sandra (January 25, 2010). "Trapped by ME, Lynn Gilderdale made it clear she wanted to die". The Guardian. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  6. ↑ Speedy, Maik (April 16, 2011). "THE NICEGUIDELINES BLOG: Lynn Gilderdale's autopsy showed 'dorsal root ganglionitis' - infected nerve roots, just like Sophia Mirza's". THE NICEGUIDELINES BLOG. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Gilderdale, Kay (April 14, 2011). One Last Goodbye: Sometimes only a mother's love can help end the pain. Ebury Press. ISBN 9780091939144.
  8. ↑ "talkhealth forums - dorsal root ganglionitis". talkhealthpartnership.com. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  9. ↑ "One Last Goodbye". Let's Do It for ME. December 5, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  10. ↑ "I Helped My Daughter Die". topdocumentaryfilms.com. Grace Productions. 2010.
  11. ↑ "The #MEAction Network UK- Home of the MillionsMissing". facebook. August 26, 2016. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Mrs Kay Gilderdale admits aiding and abetting suicide of her daughter". The ME Association. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Mother Charged With Attempted Murder of ME/CFS Daughter | Chronic Fatigue Syndrome". fightingfatigue.org. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Mother cleared in ME death trial". 2010. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Verdict's family statement". lynngilderdale.org. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  16. ↑ Gammell, Caroline (2010). "Lynn Gilderdale: how a 14-year-old was condemned to a life lived from a bed". ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  17. ↑ Laville, Sandra (January 25, 2010). "Trapped by ME, Lynn Gilderdale made it clear she wanted to die". The Guardian. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  18. ↑ "TV clip: Mother talks of death of daughter with ME". YouTube. ITV. April 15, 2011.
  19. ↑ "The daughter's diary of despair: 'My body is tired and my spirit is broken. I have had enough, I long to die'". Mail Online. January 26, 2010. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Transcript of Frontline documentary on ME from 1993". Indigo Jo Blogs. March 21, 2010. Retrieved August 16, 2018.

graded exercise therapy (GET) - A gradual increase in exercise or activity, according to a pre-defined plan. Focuses on overcoming the patient's alleged unhelpful illness beliefs that exertion can exacerbate symptoms, rather than on reversing physical deconditioning. Considered controversial, and possibly harmful, in the treatment or management of ME. One of the treatment arms of the controversial PACE trial.

See Graded exercise therapy.

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