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Last year Roberta Bieling visited her familyShe wanted assisted suicide – ME/CFS patient Kathi “moved to the bright blue sky”
Kathi suffered from ME/CFS.
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Now this disease has taken the life of another person.
A little over three years ago, Kathi experienced the first symptoms of ME/CFS, i.e. myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. Her condition rapidly deteriorates until at some point she can only lie in a dark, quiet room. A life that is anything but worth living for the young woman, so Kathi has made a decision.
ME/CFS patient Kathi only lived in a dark, quiet room
Last year, RTL presenter Roberta Bieling embarked on extensive ME/CFS research. To do this, she not only meets politicians to find out why research funding is being cut even though more and more people are suffering from this disease, but also those affected – like Kathi's family.
At that time, Kathi's mother reported how her otherwise cheerful daughter suddenly became weaker and weaker until she could no longer tolerate any stimuli – neither light nor volume. At first, no doctor knew what was wrong with Kathi. But then the terrible diagnosis: Kathi suffers from ME/CFS. A disease of the nervous system for which there is currently no cure or reliable treatment.
Kathi's mother even explains that she has to puree Kathi's food because her own chewing noises are too loud for Kathi. When Roberta Bieling visits the family, Kathi's life has long since taken place in a single, darkened room. She once loved traveling and the wide world.
In the video you can see the first part of the interview with Kathi's mother and the ME/CFS research. You can find part two HEREpart three HERE.
Kathi asked her mother for assisted suicide
And Kathi longed to be free again and no longer be controlled by an illness for which there is currently no cure. As early as autumn 2025, Kathi's mother Roberta Bieling announced that her daughter had pleaded with her to allow her euthanasia. A path that more and more ME/CFS sufferers are taking because they don't know how to help themselves otherwise.
And now, a few months later, Kathi's last wish seems to have come true. Kathi's friend Johanna wrote on Instagram at the beginning of the week: “Kathi left us this afternoon. Kathi was an absolute free spirit and – even though she wanted to live so badly – fulfilled her wish to be free again.”
Reading tip: Hundreds of thousands of ME/CFS sufferers are struggling and the government is cutting funding – how can this be?
She continues: “After years of suffering in darkness, today she moved into the bright blue sky and from now on she will be with us all in a different way.”
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For Roberta Bieling, Kathi's death proves how important ME/CFS research is
The fact that this unpredictable illness has actually taken Kathi's life hits Roberta Bieling hard: “The mother of another sick girl wrote me the sad news on Tuesday. I was at a party and was completely shocked to hear it.” Even though the presenter knew that Kathi had this wish, she says: “When it happens, it’s so unbelievable.”
“I think a lot about the family and how they must have experienced the past few months. Always between the hope that Katharina will change her mind and at the same time the fear of this terrible appointment,” says Roberta Bieling.
For her, Kathi's case “once again shows in a very dramatic way how important it is that more intensive research is finally carried out in order to find a drug against this terrible disease”.
Here you can find help in difficult situations
If you have depression, are addicted or have suicidal thoughts, please seek help immediately. Try talking to other people about it! In addition to friends or relatives, there is also the opportunity to talk anonymously to other people about your thoughts. This can be done by phone, chat, email or in person.
If you need help quickly, you can call the free telephone hotline 0800-1110111 or 0800-1110222 to find people who can show you ways out of difficult situations.
Source used: Instagram/johannawolff, own RTL research
