Tag: inspirational

Categories
Real Life

I saved my life to walk down the aisle!

Natasha had always dreamed of getting married, so she was thrilled when her boyfriend of four years, Scott, proposed by dressing their two-year-old daughter, Evie-Mae in a babygrow emblazoned with the words ‘Mummy, will you marry Daddy?’. Within two months, she had picked her dress and selected nine bridesmaids. But just three months before her dream wedding, Natasha contracted the deadly blood infection, sepsis. Luckily, NHS call handler Natasha recognised the symptoms – including a fever, fatigue and disorientation – and an ambulance was promptly called to rush her to hospital. There, Natasha was put in an induced coma as doctors battled to save her life. Her devastated fiance and family were warned that she may not survive. Thankfully, Natasha pulled through and last month she walked down the aisle. She said: “Almost dying made my day so much more special. It was everything I had always dreamed of.”

Natasha’s inspiring story appeared on the Mirror and Mail Online.

Categories
Real Life

Birthmark bullies won’t stop my Hollywood dream

Bullied mercilessly at school for her distinctive birthmarks, Marika never believed that she’d be able to accomplish her dream of becoming a Hollywood actress. Throughout her childhood, she suffered cruel taunts from school bullies, who said she looked like a ‘cow’ and was ‘splattered with mud’. After undergoing seven painful surgeries to remove the largest of her birthmarks – which cover 60% of her body – Marika says she has finally decided to embrace her unique look. She now hopes to become a Hollywood actress to inspire body confidence in other girls. “I will never look like a typical movie star,” she explains. “But I’m glad. My birthmarks make me who I  am. It’s taken me 19 years, but I finally love and respect myself.”

Marika’s story has appeared in Good Housekeeping, and the Mail Online.

Categories
Real Life

I Zumba-d away 14st of flab!

Embarrassed by her 23st 10lb body, Gillian reluctantly agreed to attend a local Zumba class with her daughter, Helen. And she was soon cha-cha-ing her way to slimmer thighs and a flatter stomach. After banishing her beloved cheese and pickles from her kitchen cupboards and attending up to five Zumba classes per week, Gillian shed an astonishing 14st and is now a slinky size 8.

Her amazing story appeared in Best.

Categories
Real Life

Pregnancy weight fear made me starve my unborn child

After piling on the pounds during her first pregnancy, Amanda was determined to stay slim while expecting her second child, Macauley. But what started as a bid to stay healthy soon spiralled into a deadly eating disorder. Consumed by her desire to be skinny, Amanda began skipping meals and exercising for up to three hours a day – gaining just 7lb during her entire pregnancy. Thankfully Macauley was born healthy, but within days of giving birth, Amanda was setting her alarm for 3.30am to squeeze in seven hours of exercise. Eventually her weight plummeted to 7st, and her hair fell out – forcing her to seek help for her anorexia.

Now fully recovered, Amanda worked with me to share her inspiring story in Woman magazine.

Categories
Real Life

I had a tumour the size of a BABY growing in my tum

Lianne was devastated when doctors told her she had a rare form of kidney cancer called Ewing’s sarcoma. But the biggest shock was yet to come. After undergoing surgery to remove the tumour, she was gobsmacked to discover that it weighed 6lb – the average weight of a newborn baby! Now Lianne has made a full recovery, and credits her positive attitude to her adorable four-year-old son, Regan.

She bravely shared her story in Pick Me Up.

Categories
Real Life

E-cigarette burned down my house!

Sarah had just finished reading her son a bed-time story when her house was set on fire by an E-cigarette she had plugged in downstairs. To add insult to injury, Sarah had only given up smoking that day. Thankfully she and her son escaped the fire and are now back in their home. Sarah shared her story in Chat to highlight the potential dangers of charging E-cigarettes.

Categories
Real Life

Abused by Dad after Mum died

Corinne was devastated when her mum died, but her nightmare wasn’t over. Just weeks after her mum’s death, her paedophile dad began sexually abusing her. The twisted pervert – who was also a nudist – blamed Corinne’s increasingly withdrawn behaviour on her grieving for her mum. But after being inspired by the Jimmy Savile scandal, Corinne reported her dad to the police and he was jailed for three-and-a-half years for his despicable crimes. She bravely shared her story in Pick Me Up to raise awareness for other victims of sexual abuse.

Categories
Real Life

Apert syndrome didn’t stop me from finding love

Fun-loving Jean never thought she’d find her Mr Right as she was born with a condition called Apert syndrome, which causes facial malformation. Cruelly dubbed ‘ugly’ by bullies, she was self-conscious about her appearance and had given up all hope of getting married and having a family of her own. But all that changed when she met Martin, who Jean says has finally made her ‘feel beautiful’.

Jean shares her touching story in this week’s Pick Me Up.

 

Categories
Real Life

Crohn’s made me lose 10st, but doctors ‘said I was anorexic’

Crohn’s sufferer Kirsty claims that doctors accused her of being anorexic after she lost a shocking 10st in just three months. The 20-year-old says that she told GPs she was suffering from an upset stomach, cramps and fatigue – all common symptoms of the inflammatory digestive condition, Crohn’s disease. However, she claims that doctors instead referred her to an eating disorder clinic.

Her story appeared on the Mail Online and the Mirror Online.

For more information on Crohn’s, visit Crohn’s and Colitis UK.

Categories
Real Life

Mown down by hit-and-run pal on romantic stroll

Kady and Louis were enjoying a romantic countryside stroll when they were mercilessly mown down by a hit-and-run driver. Left for dead in a ditch, they were rescued by a doctor who happened to be driving past on his way back from playing badminton. The couple were rushed to hospital, where they were sent straight to surgery. Then to add insult to their life-threatening injuries, they discovered that the driver was none other than their pal, Alistair – who was later arrested and jailed for two years and eight months. Kady and Louis are still reeling from the betrayal, but say they are moving on with their lives.

As seen in Real People.