I’m a 24 year old young lady with a life-limiting condition that has caused complex physical and medical needs. I am completely dependent on a specialist electric wheelchair, although forced to spend a lot of time in bed, I require…
(c) UK Sepsis TrustSeptember is Sepsis Awareness Month and Wednesday 13th September is this year's World Sepsis Day. My family has been touched by sepsis a number of times. We know too well how serious sepsis is. There’s an estimated…
Charlie Gard. A little boy whose care has polarised the world. A little boy with a severe condition called infantile encephalomyopathic Mitochondrial DNA Depletion Syndrome. He sadly passed away last week. His doctors for months had wanted to remove his…
Many of you will know, in November 2016 it was confirmed that I have some form of neuromuscular disease by the fantastic team at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN) and would be embarking on a long process…
According to Rare Disease UK, rare diseases affect 1 in 17 of us at some point in our lifetime, which translates to 7% of the population being affected by a rare disease during their life. This equates to 3.5 million…
I am disabled. I am covered in tubes, bags and scars. I am perfectly imperfect, not what society defines as beautiful. I don’t feel beautiful. However, I am comfortable with myself and my body. I do not resent the way…
Today I had a very successful hospital appointment at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery with the neuromuscular team, seeing Dr Ros Quinlivan. The outcomes of the appointment could be crucial for myself and my family, and turn everything…
On Thursday 13th October I attended the Be A Force For Change - National Advocacy Conference 2016 run by Kate Mercer Training. I delivered the first keynote speech on my experiences with advocacy, titled “Be Your Client’s Hero”. It was…
Today is World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, celebrating supportive/palliative and hospice care around the world. This year's theme is Living And Dying In Pain: It Doesn't Have To Happen. Palliative care has been a part of my life since April…
Most people have heard of feeding tubes, seeing kids with cancer and other illnesses with a NasoGastric Tube taped to their face. People know it’s possible to be fed through a tube in your nose down into your stomach. However,…