Makeover casts off Sarah's blues
With a beaming smile, Sarah Hook received a high street makeover after her life story won a national competition.
Sarah was just 14 when she was struck down with ME – known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – and ended up in a wheelchair, too tired to put one foot in front of another.
The 27-year-old was a brilliant student at Crookhorn Technology College preparing to sit 14 GCSEs when her life was turned upside down by the as yet unexplained illness which has dominated her life ever since.
Despite her problems, Mrs Hook went on to get top grades in seven GCSEs, A Levels, a first class honours degree in accounting and now has a beautiful daughter, Isabelle.
Her proud mother Susan Bruce secretly nominated her for a TK Maxx competition to be given a fashion makeover by a stylist from television's Nicky Hambleton-Jones consultancy and she beat off hundreds to claim the prize.
'I could not even do basic things. Getting out of bed was a task, washing, dressing, walking,' said Mrs Hook, of Acer Way, Havant.
'Within a couple of months of going down with it I was in a wheelchair and I stayed in it for five years.
'I was at the end of my tether at that point and I really didn't think I was ever going to feel better again.'
She met her husband, Darryl, seven years ago and with his and her family's help and support she tried out a radical diet, cutting out dairy, sugar, wheat and most meat – and is now out of the wheelchair.
As she shopped with style consultant Claire Wacey for her free 250 clothes from the store she felt on top of the world.
She said: 'I couldn't believe it when I found out I'd won. Life has been really hard and I still get muscle pain. I struggle with day to day activities and constantly feel like I have the flu. But I'm really hopeful that one day I'll be strong enough to use my degree.'
With the help of Miss Wacey she chose some funky outfits from the cut price designer clothes store in Waterlooville and it has given her confidence a huge boost.
ILLNESS WITH NO CURE
Myalgic Encephalopathy, or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, affects around 250,000 people in the UK.
Symptoms include severe and debilitating fatigue, painful muscles and joints, disordered sleep, poor memory and weak concentration.
In many cases it can be triggered by a viral infection, an operation or an accident, although some people experience a slow, insidious onset.
There is no cure for the illness and many doctors have written it off as psychological rather than physical and little is known about it.
For more information go to meassociation.org.uk or call 01280 818968.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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