Terminally-ill Monmouth mum wants to fulfil final wish

Ruth Clarke has been diagnosed with two conditions - supraventricular tachycardia, which affects her heart rate, and stage 4 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which affects her lungs and ability to breathe.

Her conditions mean Ms Clarke is often left struggling to breath, and her heart has stopped on multiple occassions, resulting in repeated trips to hospital.

Daughter Emma Knowlson helps her mum complete simple daily tasks.

Ms Knowlson said: “I try to remain optimistic - but the truth is, we just don't know when, or how this ends.

Ms Knowlson helps her mum with day to day tasks (Image: Emma Knowlson)

Ms Knowlson helps her mum with day to day tasks. Picture: Emma Knowlson

“We do not know how long she has but we do know that her quality of life is decreasing everyday.

“Both of her conditions mean that she will be on daily medications for the rest of her life, her breathing capabilities will continue to decline, and her heart rate could cause another reset - even with the use of oxygen.

“This will be the case until we reach the point that either one of them effectively gives up, most likely through lung or heart failure.”

Ms Clarke has had her heart stopped and reset on numerous occasions (Image: Emma Knowlson)

Ms Clarke has had her heart stopped and reset on numerous occasions. Picture:  Emma Knowlson

Ms Clarke may not make it to her daughter’s upcoming wedding, and last year she was forced to take early retirement.

To make the most of their time left together Ms Knowlson wants to fulfil her mum’s dying wish and take her to New York.

Ms Knowlson said: “I’m trying to make my poorly mum's last wish come true.

“This is about being able to fulfil a wish that is so close to her heart and something that, in her words she wants to do before she goes.

“Mum has had this wish for past 19 years which was the last time she went away.”

You can visit the gofundme page here.