Teen who sought medical marijuana has died
A 13-year-old medical marijuana advocate who moved from Connecticut to Maine so she could access cannabis to treat a rare form of epilepsy has died.
Two medical marijuana advocacy groups say Cyndimae Meehan died Sunday in her family's Augusta home. She had a severe form of epilepsy known as Dravet syndrome.
Her mother, Susan Meehan, moved her to Maine to access medical marijuana after failed attempts to treat the girl's frequent seizures using federally approved drugs. Connecticut doesn't allow pediatric medical marijuana use.
On a youcaring.com fundraising page curated by her mom, Meehan said Cyndimae's epilepsy started when she was 10 months old, in June 2002.
"Diagnosed with Dravet Syndrome, Cyndimae has tried every available pharmaceutical option ("AED's") for her epilepsy to no avail. Pharmaceuticals and prolonged seizures have hampered Cyndimae's development. There have been times she has re-learned to walk and talk and eat after prolonged status seizures," her mother wrote.
The page had raised $4,450 of a $20,000 goal to help with medical costs including covering the high price of specially formulated medical marijuana, while another fundraising effort led by a neighbor in Maine raised another $11,500.
A family friend and medical marijuana advocate says Cyndimae regained her strength and stopped using a wheelchair once she began taking cannabis oil. The family became medical marijuana advocates, often testifying on state medical marijuana bills.
The family is planning a funeral in Connecticut.