Inverness teenager with a rare brain condition is set to host an empowerment workshop for women as she takes on Strictly Inverness

Highland News & Media

A young entrepreneur with a rare lifelong brain condition is set to host an empowerment workshop for women as she is pushing herself to take on Strictly Inverness in tribute to her late grandfather.

Transcript

00:00 A couple of years back I got diagnosed with narcolepsy with cataplexy.

00:05 So this is a rare brain condition and this is something I was born with.

00:10 But individuals aren't normally diagnosed until their 20s due to hormonal imbalances.

00:16 But mine started when I was about 13.

00:19 I started having these attacks where I would fall to the ground and I couldn't move my body.

00:25 I'm afraid like what this was, like what has happened?

00:28 I went through loads of testing from 13 to 16.

00:31 I was in and out of hospital getting tests and then it came back with the diagnosis.

00:37 Because they'd never seen it in someone so young before.

00:41 So that, with narcolepsy, it normally lasts until you're about, until you hit menopause.

00:49 And then the hormonal change will kind of ease it off.

00:53 You'll still have it but it'll ease it off.

00:55 So it was a long time when they tell me that I'll have it until I hit menopause.

01:01 When I turned 17 I was desperate to drive.

01:04 I had about two driving lessons and then I got a letter back saying you're not allowed to drive anymore.

01:12 So that was very devastating. I wasn't, I was really upset about that.

01:17 And then just my independence as well.

01:21 There's been like a couple of situations where I felt like it was going to take away my independence.

01:28 Like there's been times when I do drop and pass out.

01:31 If I'm not on my side then I can't really breathe properly.

01:34 So someone's got to be there.

01:36 So it was situations like that I thought I would never be able to be independent and left on my own in situations.

01:43 But now I've been able to learn ways to control my condition, to support myself.

01:49 And now I can do stuff on my own independently.

01:52 I'm currently on two types of medication.

01:54 So one's to prevent my sleepiness so that I can function on a day to day basis without falling asleep.

02:01 And my second one's for my passing out so I'm not dropping to the floor and passing out every two minutes.

02:07 Getting diagnosed it was actually like a weight lifted off my shoulder just to have that clarification.

02:13 Like there is something there and it's not going to kill me.

02:18 And it is something I can live with and I found ways to learn to live with it.

02:23 It really took away my confidence and I definitely had really bad anxiety about going out in public and everything.

02:30 And when I got before my diagnosis at 16 this is when I made the decision to leave school because I was really embarrassed.

02:39 Because I didn't want anyone to see me having these attacks and see me falling on the ground.

02:44 And it was something really hidden and I didn't like telling people that this was because of it.

02:51 So I definitely spent the next year or so quite hidden away.

02:57 Didn't really go out much and everything.

02:59 But after my diagnosis and being able to be put on the right medication and find ways to help my condition.

03:06 Then I started getting into the gym and this is when it changed my whole life.

03:12 My dad's dad, my grandad, he passed away in the hospice before I got a chance to meet him.

03:17 He passed away when my dad was about 15.

03:20 So I'm kind of doing it in memory of him and with the family.

03:25 And growing up as a child we've always done so much with the hospice.

03:29 Because dad's always been supportive of it.

03:32 So I've helped out in runs and different things like giving out goodies and stuff.

03:39 So it's like just giving it back.

03:42 So as soon as I turned 18 I was like oh I want to do this Strictly thing.

03:45 So I applied.

03:47 I really want to show anyone else who's got any kind of medical conditions or lifelong conditions.

03:54 It's so challenging when you get diagnosed with these.

03:58 So I really want to show other individuals that you can literally do anything.

04:02 And your condition doesn't control you, you can control it.

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