Polish man breaks Guinness record for living longest on mechanical ventilation

Polish Janusz Świtaj entered the Guinness Book – the record book – for being the person who passed longer living with mechanical ventilation . The man has been breathing through the device for 30 years and 314 days – and is determined to enjoy life.

After a traffic accident that crushed his spinal cord when he was 17, the Pole lost his movement and the ability to breathe on his own. He spent six years in an intensive care unit (ICU) until they installed a mechanical ventilator in his home.

Świtaj became famous in 2007, when he asked for euthanasia after several years of living in deep depression. With the debate over whether or not to perform the procedure, the Polish man began to receive help through fundraising and donations, making him give up on death.

His name appeared in the Polish media in 2007, when he asked for the end of his treatment after several years of living in deep depression. Bringing the euthanasia debate to the fore, Janusz began to receive help through fundraising and donations, making him give up on death.

In this movement, he gained a mouse controlled by his mouth, which allowed him to write his autobiography, “12 Breaths Per Minute”. He describes it as “a record of the dramatic struggle for life, health and human dignity”.

Currently, Janusz Świtaj travels the world with his caregiver. They have already visited places like Krakow and Gdańsk, the Baltic Sea and climbed the peak of Kasprowy Wierch.

In addition, the Pole has a postgraduate degree in cognitive behavioral therapy, an area of ​​psychotherapy.

Source: CNN Brasil

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