After her older brother died as the result of his cystic fibrosis diagnosis at the age of 6, 14-year-old Valentina Maureira knew exactly what fate awaited her when she was diagnosed with the same life-threatening, incurable disease. Valentina pleaded with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet to allow her to die on her own terms via a video message that went viral. Although her request did elicit a response from Bachelet, it was not the response she was hoping for.

"I urgently request to speak to the president because I'm tired of living with this illness," Valentina explains in the video. "I want her approval so I can get a shot that will make me sleep forever."

The government of Chile, a Catholic country where euthanasia is illegal, denied the young girl’s appeal Thursday, but President Bachelet paid Valentina and her father a special visit at Catholic University hospital in Santiago. Bachelet explained that while the country could not allow Valentina to end her own life, it would be able to pay for any psychiatric treatment she may need. Valentina’s family was appreciative of the president’s kind gesture but simply wants their daughter to retain her dignity.

“I already lost a 6-year-old son because I didn't have enough money and organs,” Valentina’s father, Fredy Maureira, told The Associated Press. “Now my daughter just wants to die in a dignified way. She's exhausted, we're all exhausted, but if she wants to keep fighting, I'll be by her side every second. My message to all the parents in the world who have healthy kids is: Please take care of them. Love them.”

According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, around 70,000 people around the world are affected by this life-threatening genetic disease that attacks the lungs and digestive system. Thick mucus buildup in the lungs makes breathing very difficult and traps bacteria in the airways, often leading to infections, inflammation, and severe lung damage. Patients eventually suffer potentially fatal respiratory failure. The average age of survival for cystic fibrosis patients is early 40s.