Countrygirl
Senior Member
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Over the years, many of us here on PR have supported Gillian McCarthy.
Gillian, a very highly intelligent lady, a scientist who authored books, and was a leading world expert on equine nutrition, was severely affected by ME and chemical sensitivities and for many, many years lived in a field in Somerset in terrible conditions as she could not tolerate the chemical soup in which we live.
She was very generous with her knowledge and, despite living in a dilapidated shed with no electricity or running water, made a remarkable contribution to the patient community and sought to educate people about MCS in particular.
Remarkably, given her terrible circumstances, every Christmas she sent us all little gifts which I treasure. These were accompanied by long letters which were just about indecipherable.
For years, we fund-raised for her, sent her heating packs, old woolen clothes ( she could not tolerate new ones), bottled water, and other basics necessary for life as she had no electricity or modern conveniences and lived in a very damp hut in the middle of a field.
I recall the day that Dr Annie Macintyre and I dashed up to Somerset to help protect her hut from being bulldozed as the council threatened to flatten it in order to get rid of her. We planned to lie in front of the bulldozer should it be necessary. However, we also invited the BBC to join us and the bailiffs soon backed away when they were confronted with the TV cameras.
Over the years, many friends of Gillian on PR have helped her survive and I know she was very, very grateful.
Sadly, in January she had a fall, couldn't get up and was lying on damp ground for........I think........four days and nights. Gillian never received help from the medical profession who let her down very badly; however, this time medical help did attend ............a person who was infected, I understand, with Covid. Gillian developed the illness and, unable to access further medical help, died alone in the field on February 2nd.
For those of us who couldn't attend the funeral, it is recorded here. It tells you the amazing story of a remarkable woman who achieved much despite the direst of circumstances.
Even if you did not know Gillian, I recommend that you listen to it.
We will greatly miss her.
Gillian, a very highly intelligent lady, a scientist who authored books, and was a leading world expert on equine nutrition, was severely affected by ME and chemical sensitivities and for many, many years lived in a field in Somerset in terrible conditions as she could not tolerate the chemical soup in which we live.
She was very generous with her knowledge and, despite living in a dilapidated shed with no electricity or running water, made a remarkable contribution to the patient community and sought to educate people about MCS in particular.
Remarkably, given her terrible circumstances, every Christmas she sent us all little gifts which I treasure. These were accompanied by long letters which were just about indecipherable.
For years, we fund-raised for her, sent her heating packs, old woolen clothes ( she could not tolerate new ones), bottled water, and other basics necessary for life as she had no electricity or modern conveniences and lived in a very damp hut in the middle of a field.
I recall the day that Dr Annie Macintyre and I dashed up to Somerset to help protect her hut from being bulldozed as the council threatened to flatten it in order to get rid of her. We planned to lie in front of the bulldozer should it be necessary. However, we also invited the BBC to join us and the bailiffs soon backed away when they were confronted with the TV cameras.
Over the years, many friends of Gillian on PR have helped her survive and I know she was very, very grateful.
Sadly, in January she had a fall, couldn't get up and was lying on damp ground for........I think........four days and nights. Gillian never received help from the medical profession who let her down very badly; however, this time medical help did attend ............a person who was infected, I understand, with Covid. Gillian developed the illness and, unable to access further medical help, died alone in the field on February 2nd.
For those of us who couldn't attend the funeral, it is recorded here. It tells you the amazing story of a remarkable woman who achieved much despite the direst of circumstances.
Even if you did not know Gillian, I recommend that you listen to it.
We will greatly miss her.
