GEORGE NEWS - Carol de Swardt, a George resident who has been in the news for her decision to go to Pegasos Clinic in Switzerland for assisted death, says she has no fear for what is awaiting her at the end of the month.
"I have peace in my heart. I really hope that my God is there on the other side. I do not think my God would refuse me my place in heaven. I have lost my will to live," De Swardt (63) told George Herald.
De Swardt, once a lively woman who loved the outdoors and adventure, is living in debilitating pain due to skin cancer that was diagnosed in 2010 and which has since spread.
She is also disabled after one leg had to be amputated as a result of what later seemed to be excessive radiation treatment she had received in a state hospital in KwaZulu-Natal.
After a lengthy legal battle, the High Court in Pietermaritzburg ordered the Health Department in 2020 to pay her more than R4m in compensation for damages. She is using some of that money to pay for her assisted death.
On Tuesday 23 January, De Swardt (63) said she just wants to spend the last few days before leaving with her family after being inundated by media interviews.
Her son, Donovan, and daughter, who wishes to remain anonymous, have accepted her decision. Both are with her at her home in Heather Park where she has been living for the last three years since moving to George.
De Swardt said there is no reason for her to live anymore because she has no quality of life.
"If I lived longer, I would want to do all the things I used to, that I loved, but I am disabled. All these things were taken from me - fishing, swimming, and working in my garden."
Asked if she has forgiven the medical team responsible for the radiation treatment, she said, "I do feel a bit of resentment, but it will not undo what they did. It will not bring my life back. I lost it when I lost my leg. A grudge will not bring it back, so I do not hold any hatred in my heart. What upset me was that they lied about it and said they did not do anything wrong, when they did."
A young Carol loving life.
She has many precious memories of her life. "Some really stand out. Camping with my two children in Kelso and camping in Transkei are two memories that forever stay with me. It was no ordinary camping in Kelso. I was a single mom and we would go with a railway tarpaulin we retrieved which had been blown off a train onto the tracks. We would build our camp over a tree branch and my car and make our camp really cosy and spend the weekend by the sea with people playing bongo drums in the camp.
"My kids had fun and so did I. In Transkei we went for three weeks to camp on the beach. No time, no radio, no phone calls. Just us and the beach and sea. We fished for our food and time stood still for a while."
De Swardt will be assisted by Prof Sean Davison* who oversees the Exit Swiss Assistance Programme. She is leaving for Switzerland on Sunday 28 January and her day of death is 31 January.
* Prof Sean Davison, New Zealand-born South African scientist, is the founder and director of DignitySA that is lobbying for a change to end-of-life legislation in South Africa. He was under house arrest for three years after being convicted in 2019 on three counts of premeditated murder for helping three men to die.
Carol with her son Donovan enjoying some precious moments together.
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