Karina Hansen 7: Update and Urgent Appeal
Karina with some of her birthday cards – November 2016
LINK FOR DONATIONS TO KARINA’S LEGAL FUND: Go to this link at Save4Children and follow the instructions. If you scroll down the page there are links for specific countries/languages.
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Regular readers of this blog will be familiar with Karina Hansen’s horrifying story (as detailed in my series of posts) and with the often appalling treatment of ME patients generally.
For new readers, and those needing a reminder, there is a full summary at the end of this post.
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Thank you to everyone who sent birthday gifts
It was Karina’s 28th birthday on 7 November, a few weeks after her return home. She received a wonderful array of cards, flowers and other gifts from all over the world. [Update 9 December 2016: the Hansen family have very kindly sent a picture, above left, of Karina with some of her cards].
Karina was able to read all the cards. She and her family wish to express their gratitude and appreciation to everyone who took the trouble to send a card and/or a gift. They are unable to reply to everyone individually but want to make it clear that the support which they have received means an enormous amount to them.
The current situation (December 2016)
On 17 October 2016, after three and a half years of involuntary detention as a de facto psychiatric patient in a Danish clinic, Karina finally returned to her family home from which she had been forcibly removed in February 2013.
Karina is very happy to be back at home. She is becoming more mobile, with the aid of a walker, and her ability to communicate is improving, mostly through writing at the moment. She is even beginning to smile again sometimes.
Karina and her family are gradually adjusting to their changed circumstances and trying to process everything that has happened to them. However, it is inevitable that the traumatic events of last few years have taken an enormous toll on all of them. Her long-term situation remains to be determined; she and her family are still living with great uncertainty about the future as a result of excessive state intervention in their lives (see previous post).
In my post of 26 October 2016, I mentioned that psychiatrist Per Fink (see below) and the clinic where Karina had been incarcerated since 2013 had been contacted for comment about her return home. As of today, no reply has been received.
APPEAL FOR DONATIONS TO THE LEGAL FUND
There have been considerable ongoing legal costs relating to Karina’s circumstances over the last few years. A large amount of those costs are still outstanding and there are new ones now beginning to accrue in relation to prospective legal action.
There are many issues still to be resolved regarding Karina’s future and that of her family. The immediate priority is to resolve the matter of her court-appointed guardian (see below and earlier posts). Until that happens, nothing else can be considered.
The fund currently stands at approximately 4000 euros. Using exchange rates calculated on 4 December 2016 (amounts are rounded up), this equals:
- 4300 US dollars or
- 3400 British pounds or
- 30000 Danish kroner
As yet, there is insufficient information to be able to set out exactly how much will be required to settle the outstanding debts nor how much any future legal action will cost. However, the specialist legal advice and assistance necessary here is extremely costly. It is very clear that the costs will far exceed the amount which is currently in the fund.
The fund is a vital resource – and Karina’s family are extremely grateful to those who have already donated – but it is a tiny fraction of what is required.
Any amount – however small or large – which readers of this blog can contribute will be received with enormous gratitude (SEE LINK AT TOP OF THIS POST). The donations to this fund are exclusively for use towards paying the legal expenses relating to Karina’s treatment by the state over recent years.
Thank you.
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Karina’s story
Karina lives in Denmark. In 2008, she was diagnosed with severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME).
[ME is a complex, multi-systemic neuro-immune disease; its controversial nature continues to cause immense patient suffering and distress. ME receives universally derisory state funding for desperately-needed biomedical research/treatment, despite having been accurately identified and described in the 1950’s and recognised as a neurological condition by the World Health Organization since 1969.]
ME patients in many countries are still routinely referred to psychiatrists who use the inappropriate, and sometimes dangerous, psychosocial treatment model; patients are frequently unable to access medical treatment with a knowledgeable physician. There is still no recognized diagnostic pathway or treatment for ME – and definitely no cure, despite the claims made by some.
Inevitably, Karina’s diagnosis became the subject of a prolonged dispute. Her family continued to care for her at home, in accordance with her express wishes. However, in February 2013, then aged 24, she was forcibly removed from her home by a large team of police, doctors and social workers. She was taken to Hammel Neurocenter, against both her own will and that of her family. Hammel is part of “The Research Clinic for Functional Disorders” at Aarhus University Hospital.
Several doctors have been involved in Karina’s case but psychiatrists Nils Balle Christensen and Per Fink were in charge of her treatment at Hammel. Shortly after her initial detention, she was classed as a “voluntary” patient, despite having been taken there against her will; she was found by a court subsequently to lack capacity to make her own decisions. As a result of that finding, the court appointed a legal guardian to take responsibility for her welfare and make decisions on her behalf. Her condition deteriorated rapidly after her admission to the Clinic.
Three years on, in February 2016, Karina remained a de facto prisoner of the state. She had been moved to a nearby rehabilitation center but allowed very little contact with her family. Her father was permitted to visit her in December 2015. Whilst she was physically clean and cared-for, she was apparently immobilized, in a wheelchair and unable to speak except for incomprehensible mumbling and grimaces. At that time, she did not appear to recognize her own father.
During the course of 2016, I wrote a series of articles chronicling and analyzing Karina’s story from my perspective as a lawyer, a journalist and a long-time ME patient. On 12 October, I wrote a short update detailing the changes which were beginning to come about in Karina’s condition. Although she still could not speak, her ability to communicate with gestures was increasing, her mobility was improving and her parents had been able to visit on a regular basis during the preceding weeks.
On Monday 17 October 2016, after three and a half years of incarceration, Karina was able to return home to her family. The arrangement was on a trial basis but in the hope and expectation that she would be finally and permanently back where she belongs. The trial period passed without incident; Karina was home at last – but with a future changed forever.
valerieeliotsmith 
Thanks Valerie
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Reblogged this on Short Blogs for the Distracted……… and commented:
And so to getting help.. let’s stop doctors thinking they are able to get away with this kind of treatment.. donate if you can lovelies xxx
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I have been waiting years for someone to take legal action against the BPS crowd. I have set aside one month’s disability benefit to donate to a legal fund, but I don’t trust unknown websites, and mostly they don’t work properly over my pitiful dial-up internet connection.
Valerie, if you can publish (or email directly to me) a payee name and postal address, I will mail a check in U.S. dollars. My preference would be to send the check directly to the law office handling this case.
I plan to live long enough to see the Wessely gang held to account in a court of law. Short of that, I plan to go to Hell before they do, in order to prepare a suitably warm welcome…
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Jim – thank you for your comment and your very generous offer. I understand your reservations but just a couple of points:
The website which my post links to is completely legitimate. I know the people who manage it personally and I have donated myself (you can see a list of donors at the bottom of the page in the link + there is a facility for those who wish to remain anonymous). The first country listed for ease of donation is the US (you can see the flag). However, I realize that may not help if your internet connection is very weak.
As far as I’m aware, a personal check is only valid in the country from which it originates. The law firm would not be able to accept it as they would have no invoice against which to apply it so they would simply have to return it or pass it on to the fund anyway. Also, it’s important to bear in mind that the lawyers can sometimes change whereas the fund managers will continue to administer the funds on Karina’s behalf, no matter which law firm is representing her.
If you are unable to donate through via the website, could you add another comment here and I will contact one of the people who manage the fund and find out what other option we can suggest to you. Is that OK?
Thank you and best wishes.
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Hi Valerie,
I am unable to donate via the website – it fails to load properly. I understand that personal checks are problematic and intend to ask my bank what is most suitable.
A few years ago my former partner abandoned me due to my illness and then sued to seize my home, forcing me into bankruptcy to delay the court proceeding long enough to finally win my Social Security disability claim (after a six year struggle). When it was time to settle up I used a bank tellers check, if I recall the correct name. I’m thinking a similar mechanism would be relatively convenient for the legal fund manager.
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Thank you for the update, Jim – and I’m so sorry to hear your story. That must have been a particularly terrible time for you. Few people realize how this illness wrecks so many lives in so many different ways.
I have the email address which you used to make your comments here. May I pass it on to one of the people who manage the fund so that they can contact you directly?
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Keep,s saying error when I tried to donate 😒. Is there a text message way to donate? I don’t know what I am doing wrong.
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Hi Debra – I think the site may have been a bit overloaded yesterday which might have been causing the problem. (I also found a credit card worked better than a debit card for some reason – although that may not be an option for you).
Could you have another go today and, if it still doesn’t work, then post a short update here. I can then get one of the people who manage the fund to contact you directly (if you don’t mind me giving them the email address you used to comment here).
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Hi valerieeliotsmith.com. Thank you. I will try again. I am so glad Kraina is back with her loving caring family. Sending lots of love 💖 💞 its the best gift for her birthday. 💑
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Hi valerieeliotsmith.com. Thank you. I will try again. I am so glad Kraina is back with her loving caring family. Sending lots of love 💖 💞 its the best gift for her birthday. 💑. I am getting the same message 😳 please can you pass my email address on so I can donate. I am not good with technology & me brain 😵.
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Thank you, Debra. I will pass on your email address and someone will be in touch. Best wishes.
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Valerie, in my experience foreign checks from strong developed economies usually go through but a charge will be taken, its size and the banks willingness having to do with the recipients historic banking relationships.
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Thank you for that, Deboruth. Those who want to donate but are having difficulty are now in direct contact with the person who manages the fund.
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HI Valerie,
Yes, please do pass on my email address. I’ve been writing for a long time that the only way to put the Wessely Gang out of business is with legal action. I would love to be in the court room to watch Fink and friends squirm under cross examination.
I don’t know of course the intended scope of this lawsuit. I view any legal action against any of the BPS crowd as a step towards a large class-action suit. I predict that discovery, as part of that action, would uncover the direct link between insurers, the Wessely School, and various government agencies in the US and UK. We are looking at Corruption with a capital C, as noted by the Gibson Inquiry [1].
The tobacco industry thought they could get away with the massive harm they caused over decades. They don’t think that anymore, I’m sure…
It’s time to put my money where my mouth is.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controversies_related_to_chronic_fatigue_syndrome#Political
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Thanks for your reply, Jim.
Just to be clear – at the moment, this legal fund is to assist Karina’s family with two areas (but that could change, depending on what advice is received):
1. Legal expenses relating to the guardianship proceedings, both those already incurred and those which will arise in reaching resolution of the current situation and
2. The costs of getting expert advice on the merits of any future action. If there is anything further, it will be civil, not criminal, action and would involve Danish issues, rather than anything broader.
On that basis, please confirm whether or not you want to proceed with your donation.
Many thanks.
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Yes, I understand the purpose of their current fundraising campaign and wish to contribute. I also understand the road to justice has to start somewhere, and I think this is a very good place to start.
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Thank you, Jim. I’ll get someone to contact you. Best wishes.
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