A couple have been given the heartbreaking news their daughter will likely remain in a vegetative state for the rest of her life after a failed suicide attempt.
Gillian and Rob Millman said their main aim now is to ensure Lauren has the best quality of life when she returns home to Arbroath in March from a dedicated brain injury unit in London.
Lauren, 19, had been undergoing a pioneering brain injury assessment at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability in Putney after the suicide attempt in 2013.
Gillian and Rob were initially told Angus College student Lauren had only months to live and brought her home for what they were told would be end-of-life care but Lauren began making subtle responses such as moving her head towards new sounds and signs of getting upset about things.
She was eventually referred to the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability for a SMART assessment which is used to assess if a patient is vegetative or has some residual awareness and ability to communicate.
Gillian said: “We have received the results of Lauren’s SMART assessment and it’s not great news but then we weren’t expecting a miracle.
“They have advised that she is in a permanent vegetative state.
“The movement and noises we have experienced from her are more reflexive than purposeful. But they have said that they will reassess her if there are any changes.
“Our main aim now is to ensure that Lauren has the best quality of life that she is entitled to.
“Myself, Rob and the multi-disciplinary teams, both at RHN and at home in Arbroath are working on a discharge date of March 6.”
SMART has been continually refined since it was conceived in 1988 and is designed to identify potential awareness in adults who have sustained profound brain damage and have been diagnosed as in a vegetative state.
Meanwhile, the couple have been spared a stressful legal fight after fears they would be caught up in a bureaucratic wrangle but they have now been told they can go ahead and apply for a “life-enhancing” grant on Lauren’s behalf.
An Angus council spokesman said: “While we will not provide details of individual applications, we have received a grant application and are in touch with the family directly in order to discuss how we can progress the application as quickly as possible.”