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EMOTIONAL NEWS
BEAUTY guru Pixiwoo’s Nicola Chapman revealed she has been living with multiple sclerosis in a tearful YouTube post released last night.
In the emotional video the vlogger explained that she was diagnosed with the genetic disease the day after her daughter Edie’s first birthday.
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Despite the upsetting diagnosis Nic Chapman - married name Haste - is optimistic about her future and decided to share her story to inspire others with the disease.
The beauty vlogger told The Sun Online: “Naturally this came as a real shock to realise that I am not indestructible.
“It has made me re-assess my life to make sure I’m doing everything I can to put my health first.
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“Not everything in life is as perfect as it seems on social media, however I won’t let it hold me back and if anything I’m living life fuller than before.
“Every day I appreciate my wonderful family, amazing children and incredible support system I have around me.”
Multiple sclerosis is a condition which can affect the brain and spinal cord, Nic explained that it can have a range of symptoms including dizziness, mood swings, speech problems, problems with sight, and fatigue.
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In the YouTube video she said: “I sometimes get the speaking problem when I am run down, I can’t speak properly.
“It’s not that I can’t speak properly I literally my brain is just fuzzy and I can’t find the words to say what I want to say.”
Nic - who recently won Best YouTuber at Glamour UK awards - explained that her biological father died this year of the disease but that they hadn’t been public about this news as they didn’t have a relationship with him.
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The vlogger - who is one half of popular Pixiwoo YouTube channel with her sister Sam - said: “My biological dad died from an illness called MS and he never gave me anything in my whole life apart from MS.
“I don’t know why I’m crying because I don’t even feel sorry for myself because I live with it and I’m totally fine but I think it’s because it’s such a big thing to actually tell everyone.”
Nic first noticed symptoms of the lifelong condition five years ago after giving birth to her son Harry, having trouble seeing out of one eye after a difficult 55-hour labour.
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Tests suggested she had optic neuritis, a neurological condition affecting the optic nerves.
However after posting a picture of herself on Instagram with an eye patch a couple of years later, a doctor friend encouraged her to have an MRI scan suggesting it could be a symptom of MS.
Nic went on to have an MRI and lumbar puncture which made her very unwell.
She said: “I did all those things knowing I had MS. I knew I had it but I suppose you have to do all those things.”
It was confirmed the day after her second child Edie’s first birthday that she did in fact have MS.
Nic said: “I spent a week in bed crying. I didn’t have a lot of energy anyway so I had to spend it in bed.
What does the NHS say about multiple sclerosis?
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition which can affect the brain and/or spinal cord
- MS causes a wide range of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance
- The condition is lifelong and sometimes causes serious disability, although it can occasionally be mild
- In many cases, it’s possible to treat symptoms although average life expectancy is slightly reduced for people with MS
- There are an estimated 100,000 people diagnosed with MS in the UK
- It's most commonly diagnosed in people in their 20s and 30s, although it can develop at any age
- It's about two to three times more common in women than men
“I did cry myself to sleep every night for about two weeks thinking what if my vision never comes back – what if the vision in [the other] eye gets worse too?
“And just thinking I won’t be able to walk my kids down the aisle, I won’t be able to be there.”
But the beauty vlogger decided not to be beaten and fought past the upset of her devastating news.
She said: “I am not this person, I am not going to lay here crying feeling sorry for myself because other people live with it and get on with life so I just got on with life.”
The vlogger praised her "amazing" husband who did all the research on her behalf and still cooks for her every night to make sure she is eating the best possible food.
She said: “A lot of my friends don’t even know I’ve got it because I would hate for anyone to feel sorry for me. This is the card I was dealt and I live with it.”
The beauty guru decided to make the tell-all video for all those other people that have just been diagnosed with the disease.
She said: “I just thought it was really important to share my story to let people know that life does go on.”
Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive of the MS Society, said: “We think Nic is a brave and inspiring woman and speaking out about her MS is sure to help lots of others living with this condition, which can often be really isolating, unpredictable and challenging.
"There are more than 100,000 people across the UK living with MS and it’s most commonly diagnosed in younger women.
"The MS Society is here to support anyone with, or affected by, MS and we’d really encourage people to get in touch with us with any concerns or questions.”
For more information about multiple sclerosis visit: www.mssociety.org.uk or call: 0808 800 8000
Nic's sister Sam also recently opened up after splitting from her boyfriend explaining her dramatic weight loss was down to the stress and anxiety of her break-up.