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.
Hannah’s boyfriend Rhys proposed after strangers around the world helped her beat his challenge of 489 likes, 499 shares and 500 Facebook comments. Rhys had originally been planning to hide a ring in some sushi, but when Hannah mentioned that she’d seen people get laptops or puppies after getting lots of likes on Facebook, he decided to set the rather unusual challenge. After Hannah’s status went viral, Rhys dutifully proposed outside their local town hall. The social media savvy couple now plan to wed at Disney World next summer.
As seen in the Mirror, Metro and Mail Online.
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.
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 The twisted pervert – who was also a nudist – blamed Corinne’s increasingly withdrawn behaviour on her grieving for her mum.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.
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.
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.
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.
Born with Apert syndrome, Jean has spent her whole life defending herself from cruel bullies who call her ‘ugly’. Her condition affects just one in in 200,000 births in the UK and causes malformations of the skull, face, hands and feet. Following her birth 26 years ago, doctors warned her parents that she wouldn’t live past her third birthday. But Jean defied the odds and two years ago found love with Martin, who has cerebral palsy. Now the couple hope to get married and start a family.
As seen in the New Day.
Amanda had always admired her slim sister, Suzanne. The two were inseparable, but at 23 stone and a size 28, Amanda always felt like the ugly sibling. Men called her ‘fatty’, and a DJ dedicated the Mr Blobby song to her at a family party. But after their mum was diagnosed with cancer, Amanda realised she was putting her health at risk and made the decision to lose weight. With her sister’s support, she cut back on snacks and went on long country walks. Eighteen months later, she’s shed an incredible 11st and her and Suzanne are closer than ever. In fact, people even get them mixed up!
Amanda’s story appeared in Take a Break
Olwen bravely told Woman’s Own readers how she was sexually abused by her sick cousin, Christopher, who was trusted to babysit her. Although he denied his terrible crimes, his lies unravelled in court when Olwen was able to produce a Facebook message in which he admitted his guilt. Christopher was eventually sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison, prompting Olwen to share her story to encourage other sexual abuse survivors to report their attackers.
Olwen has also appeared in Pick Me Up and The Sun.
Charlotte Brazier