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Topics: News, Health, World News
Gerrard Kaonga
Warning: This article contains discussion of rape which some readers may find distressing.
A woman in Spain has explained why she wants to die despite her father's attempts to prevent it in the courts, as she became the first citizen to qualify for assisted death on the grounds of mental health.
Spanish woman Noelia Castillo Ramos, 25, first requested to medically end her life in 2024, two years after she said she was raped on two separate occasions, once by a former boyfriend and a second time gang raped by three boys.
She described the trauma as a major turning point in her life, and has attempted to end her life several times since, including by jumping from the fifth-floor window of an apartment building later that same year.
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The fall left her a paraplegic and in debilitating pain, with no possibility of improvement, according to her medical reports.
Noelia is set to be euthanized today (March 26), though her father has tried to use the courts to block this from happening.
Noelia's euthanasia request was initially granted by a specialized expert committee in Catalonia in 2024, with the procedure scheduled for later that year. But her father was able to successfully block it, claiming Noelia has a personality disorder that impacts her judgment.
In February 2026, Spain's Constitutional Court dismissed her father's appeal, asserting there was 'no violation of fundamental rights' and that the euthanasia could proceed.
In her final interview just days ago, Noelia spoke to the Spanish TV program Y Ahora Sonsoles, opening up about her story and emotional state.
She said: “My name is Noelia Castillo Ramos, I’m 25 years old, and well, I have four days left.
“Basically because on the 26th they’re going to perform euthanasia on me.”
Noelia addressed whether she had any doubts or reservations about her decision to end her life, explaining that she 'was very clear about it from the beginning’, and noted that she is well aware of how her family feels about her decision.
"But what about my suffering?" she continued. "I simply want to go in peace, stop suffering, and that’s it."
According to a translation, she added: “I’m leaving, and you’re staying here with all the pain, but I think... and all the pain I've suffered over the years.
“I just want to leave in peace now and stop suffering, period and that a father’s or a mother’s or a sister’s happiness doesn’t have to come before a daughter’s happiness or the sadness of a daughter’s life.”
In 2021, Spain became the fourth European Union country to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide for specific people, if they fit a certain criterion, which is:
For the request to go through, a doctor must review and approve it, alongside a second medical professional and an evaluation body. Doctors are able to reject any request that doesn't meet the criteria, and reserve the right to withdraw from the euthanasia procedure on the grounds of 'conscience'.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.