Cats love to venture, climb, and survey their kingdom.
Thus a ladder just for them is pretty much essential.
Let them roam free, then give a cat their own private access back inside.
Cat ladders are not a new phenomenon or one that’s unique to one specific culture, but as graphic designer and writer Brigitte Schuster found, they’re particularly common on the city of Bern, in Switzerland.
Brigitte travelled around Bern to document the varieties of cat ladders she spotted, from simple steps from trees to balconies to specially made spiral staircases bypassing the door to give a cat their own entrance point.
Perhaps it’s because of my infinite love of all things bread or because my dad was a baker (and would regularly make my toast for me) – but the issue of toast making has never been, well, an issue.
Yet there are so many ways you can get it wrong.
You could make the toast too crisp or too soft.
You could burn it.
You could accidentally break off the edges while you take it out of the toaster and present the person with three quarters of a slice.
And that’s all before you’ve even gotten to the dilemma of spreadables.
@almaraabgarian I get aggy when other people offer to make my toast as I like mine barely toasted and HATE the taste of burnt toast
Apparently, it’s a British thing – like the obsession with tea.
‘In a way, it’s quite a big deal,’ Jane tells Metro.co.uk.
‘It’s like tea – it’s about comfort – so if it isn’t done right, it doesn’t hit the spot you’ve been anticipating.’
Jane’s ex used to make her toast for her but they kept the toaster on a specific, permanent setting to avoid mishaps.
However, while making food for someone else might seem a trivial topic, it can actually have a serious impact.
For some, like Ella, it can bring on anxiety.
‘I’m quite confident with my toast making skills, but there is one part of the process that does make me a bit nervous,’ she says.
‘You need the toast to be at the perfect temperature so that the butter melts and spreads properly. There’s nothing worse than when the top layer of toast gets too moist and balls up on top of itself when you go to add the Marmite layer on.
‘You can end up with a ball of buttery Marmite-y bread and other parts of toast with just an exposed layer of bread. So yes, making toast for someone else probably does give me a touch of anxiety.’
*Warning: the following includes references to eating disorders that some people may find distressing.*
Choosing, making and eating food isn’t always purely about necessity or pleasure, either. For people with eating disorders, this process can take on a different meaning.
Jane suffered from anorexia before meeting her ex and still remembers how while he indulged in ‘f***loads’ of butter, she only ever had a scraping.
Butter in particular now has a special connotation for her.
‘I still don’t butter bread to this day – but will eat an entire Ben’s Cookie,’ she said.
Be cautious before making a snack for someone you don’t know well.
While it’s a nice gesture, the other person might feel pressured into eating it and feel uncomfortable as a result.
That’s not to say you can’t ever surprise someone special with a nicely cooked meal – so long as you’re sure it won’t make the person feel awkward.
While we’re on the topic of making things for other people, you might want to avoid tea, too.
Research has shown people are very particular about how they like their cuppa, but that discussion is for another time.
Returning to our original dilemma – toast – it might be worth taking Tash’s advice.
Offer the DIY option: present the bread, toaster and spreads, and then walk away from the table.
At least until you can be trusted.
Need support?
If you or someone you know suffers from an eating disorder, you can contact the Beat helpline on 0808 801 0677.
There are also dedicated numbers for students and young people.
You can find all details and more information on eating disorders here.
Brittany and Tyler were both stuck in ‘unhappy’ marriages when they met.
From Texas and Seattle respectively, the pair first locked eyes at a work conference.
They bonded instantly, but since they were both taken parted ways as friends and assumed it would stay that way.
But fate intervened.
‘For me, when we met, it was just a friendship,’ she said.
‘We were at the conference, and we were both leaving on Sunday. So Tyler and I were just saying goodbye.
‘And I stayed back with some of my friends, and I got a text message saying “I want a divorce”.
While she was dealing with this news, Tyler had a similar situation happen.
He tried calling his partner and when she didn’t pick up, checked in with his friend who lived next door to the couple’s house.
Tyler’s friend said he had seen the wife get into a car three days previously and drive away ‘with a trailer full of her things’.
Thankfully, despite the sad circumstances, this story has a happy ending.
After finding out his partner had unceremoniously exited their relationship, Tyler texted Brittany to tell her about it.
After their first marriages ended, Brittany and Tyler found each other (Picture: Photos by Del Sol Photography)
All’s well that ends well – the pair got married last year (Picture: Del Sol Photography)
(Picture: Del Sol Photography)
‘When I got the text message probably a couple hours later, he called me and said that he went home and his wife had left him,’ Brittany said.
‘So we were just like “this is really weird.”.
‘When I met Tyler it was a tangible thing for me to see that there was somebody out there. So when I got the text message, in my heart I just felt peace, like this is meant to be.
‘It was nothing to do with Tyler, it was just the timing of it.’
The now loved-up couple are thought to have tied the knot in October, 2018.
They had a small ceremony with just close family and friends at the Secrets Maroma resort in Cancun, Mexico.
(Picture: Del Sol Photography)
(Picture: Del Sol Photography)
The couple are also featured in a video where they talk about their relationship journey.
Tyler said he believes their relationship was ‘meant to be’ and meeting Brittany is the best thing that has ever happened to him.
He has also told his friends it must be ‘a sign from God’.
While going through their respective divorces, the couple became best friends.
Tyler then made his move by asking Brittany to accompany him to a wedding in Colorado, where they both confessed their love for each other.
(Picture: Del Sol Photography)
(Picture: Del Sol Photography)
‘We were both devastated,’ she said.
‘We did not want our marriages to end, but it did. And we had each other to go through that, and it was really special. We continued long distance until 1 January when he asked me to marry him, while he was vesting in Texas for Christmas, and of course I said yes.
‘Three days later he got a call from his national manager offering him the regional manager spot in Dallas Texas because that manager quit. So he said “yes”, sold all of his stuff and moved to Texas.
‘We’ve been living together since January and are in awe of God.’
Brittany also spoke about her previous marriage and how it led her to Tyler.
‘It wasn’t okay to be treated like that,’ she said.
‘Then all of a sudden I just had this amazing guy that was everything that I could have ever wanted. It’s like a corny love story.
‘I thank him from the bottom of my heart for loving me at a time that I felt so dead on the inside.’
(Picture: Del Sol Photography)
The couple wrote vows for their wedding day (Picture: Del Sol Photography)
(Picture: Del Sol Photography)
Tyler’s words echo Brittany’s.
Ahead of their wedding day, he told her: ‘You’re the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to me in my entire life.’
And they lived happily ever after.
But now all we really want to know is what happened to their former partners.
John knows he won’t be around forever, so he’s making sure he’s got everything sorted for what happens when he dies.
Top of the list is finding a loving home for his dog, Pawpaw.
John met Pawpaw back in 2017 at Muttville Senior Dog Rescue in California, when Pawpaw was 11 years old.
It was love at first sight.
Pawpaw provides John with companionship, fun, and support – all of which are vital considering John has ALS, a neurodegenerative disease that can cause daily pain.
John’s health has been declining in recent years, so he’s started to plan for the future by working to find a loving home for the dog who he’s loved for the last two years.
He’s working with Muttville to make sure that after he passes away Pawpaw will be matched with another senior who’ll give him the love he deserves.
(Picture: Muttville)
Sherri Franklin, the founder of Muttville, told The Dodo: ‘Pawpaw is his family and it’s bittersweet, knowing that John may leave us soon.
‘I am honored to help Pawpaw find his new family.
‘When someone passes away their dog is usually brought in to a local animal shelter and if the dog is older they will end up getting euthanized if a home is not quickly found.
‘Muttville gets dogs from all kinds of backgrounds, the ones that really pull at my heartstrings are the dogs that have had a wonderful home until their guardian passes away or goes into a care facility, their whole life turns upside down.’
(Picture: Muttville)
Pawpay is described as a laidback and upbeat dog who’s super friendly, so would be a good fit for anyone able to give him plenty of affection and activity.
He’d be perfect for another senior or someone with a longterm illness. Three years ago John was told he had six months to live – Pawpaw may have helped him live far longer than predicted.
John and Pawpaw are based in California, so anyone keen to adopt the dog will need to be based over there.
If you know someone who may be interested, get in touch with Muttville and give John the peace of mind of knowing his dog will be happy and looked after.
Online shopping fails don’t bring much joy to the person relying on a dress for an event that evening, but at least they’re entertaining for everyone else.
Case in point: Natalie Jade Magill’s experience.
Natalie, 28, ordered a navy blue dress through ASOS. When it arrived the next day, she was excited to try it on.
Only when she tried it on, the dress didn’t look quite how it looked on the model. The split, meant to show off a bit of leg, started just below her belly button… leaving her vagina completely exposed.
Oops.
Thankfully Natalie was able to laugh about the whole thing, but the moment did knock her confidence, making her feel like she was ‘too big’ for a size 12 dress.
(Picture: Kennedy News and Media)
‘I ordered it for a friend’s 30th birthday event,’ said Natalie. ‘As soon as I had the opportunity to try it on I did and was pretty excited to slip it on.
The colour initially looked a little different to the image but it was still nice so it didn’t put me off.
‘Putting it on it felt nice but as I positioned it I knew something wasn’t quite right. Where is the material to cover your min?
‘I was actually howling laughing at it and thought ‘surely this can’t be right?’ My husband also fell about laughing, I don’t even think a bigger size would have helped.
‘After having my son, I was already feeling body conscious and have been working so hard in the gym.
(Picture: Kennedy News and Media)
‘To have something like this not fit, it just completely knocked me and meant I then had to go on the hunt for something else which is frustrating and annoying.’
Natalie went back online to look at the dress and noticed some of the photos showed models holding their hands over their genitals – perhaps to protect their own private parts.
The mum realises that it’s not her body that’s the issue, but the design of the dress.
She said: ‘I went back to the original image and noticed the model had her hand across the gaping hole which now makes sense as it’s probably designed that way.
‘But why you’d want a dress like that I don’t know.
‘I returned the dress a few days later and ASOS have been extremely quick to rectify and refund.
‘It hasn’t completely put me off using Boohoo as a company but I know I’m not the first to sadly have this issue.’
Boohoo has been approached for comment but has not yet responded.
Less than 24 hours after she married her great love of 24 years, Tracey MacDonald died.
Colin MacDonald had proposed to Tracey 12 years ago, but they never had time to officially tie the knot while raising six children together.
Then, six months ago, Tracey was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.
The couple knew that now was the time to have their wedding day.
On 22 January, Tracey and Colin exchanged vows in a ceremony held at Tracey’s bedside at the Moorabbin Cancer Centre in Victoria.
Less than a day later, Tracey passed away.
The couple were able to pull off the wedding with help from My Wedding Wish, who brought together a group of volunteers to put together the ceremony in the space of a day.
Gail Cremen officiated, Tahnee Jade took stunning photographs, a baker volunteered to make a cake, and people pitched in with flowers and whatever supplies they could provide.
Gail, who volunteers at My Wedding Wish, told FEMAIL: ‘It was very quickly apparent that they were totally devoted to each other and still deeply in love.
(Picture: Tahnee Jade Photography)
‘It was very important to Colin that he honoured his proposal to Tracey.
‘Tracey was Colin’s great love. He had proposed 12 years ago but their lives with six children and grandchildren was so busy they just never got around to it.
‘They had just recently bought their “Forever Home”; a dream semi-rural property in Beaconsfield where Tracey could keep her beloved horses with her.’
After the ceremony Gail worked hard to make sure the couple would be legally married before Tracey died, filling in paper work, finding birth certificates, and driving to Melbourne to file the marriage application in time.
When Gail arrived at the office, she made it minutes before closing time and was told that the application could be filed in 48 hours. Gail explained that they only had hours left, and a stranger did what he could to make everything official in under ten minutes.
(Picture: Tahnee Jade Photography)
Then it was back to the hospital for the legal ceremony, with Gail able to finally pronounce Colin and Tracey husband and wife for Tracey’s final hours.
Tracey and Colin met 24 years ago when Colin worked as a home removalist. It was an instant connection, and they went on to fall in love and raise a family together.
But in 2018 Tracey went to the doctor with a persistent cough. X-rays revealed that she had lung cancer.
Doctors were optimistic about her survival, and Tracey had been receiving treatment until the week before she died. When she collapsed trying to get up from her chair, it was clear she didn’t have much time left.
It turned out that Tracey was in the end stages of cancer, and would have only a few days to say goodbye to her friends and family.
Tracey did that by getting married to the love of her life surrounded by people she cared about.
Come up, slow down – that’s the motto of Gstaad, one of Switzerland’s most luxurious resorts.
You can see why as you take the beautiful and scenic GoldenPass Classic train from Geneva through Montreux to Gstaad in the Swiss Alps.
It’s the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and engage in an experience of peace, wellness, and relaxation.
Armed with the Headspace app, which offers hundreds of guided meditations on subjects like focus, exercise, and sleep, we set out to see if we could reach our ultimate zen in the Alps.
Our first stop is the luxurious five-star Grand Bellevue hotel, part of Utopian Hotels.
Nestled in the heart of Gstaad, the family-owned hotel has an air of Italian glamour mixed with Swiss ambiance as soon as you enter.
Rooms are beautifully decorated; there’s a large spa, a Michelin star restaurant called Leonard’s named after the owner’s grandfather, a bar with the longest George Smith Chesterfield sofa ever commissioned and other eclectic items handpicked from around the world.
We begin our relaxation therapy by doing an early morning pilates class in the Grand Spa which offers a great view of the snowy mountains from the studio.
After getting our sweat on, it’s time for a relaxing herbal aromatherapy massage.
The spa, where we follow pilates with a relaxing massage (Picture: Metro.co.uk)
Blending natural botanical extracts and aromatic essential oils together, this massage is a restorative, harmonising and mood-balancing treatment. It costs £123 for 50mins and £184 for 80 mins.
Fifty minutes later, the stress knots in my back have disappeared and the tension I was feeling seems to have miraculously gone away. I’m now feeling calm and relaxed and ready for a mid afternoon siesta.
After a relaxing morning, it’s time for some exploring. Conveniently, the village is right on the hotel’s doorstep so it’s bearable to walk in the freezing temperatures.
Hollywood actress Julie Andrews once dubbed the Swiss chalet village the ‘last paradise in a crazy world’ and it is definitely a unique winter wonderland in its own right.
For a start, it’s not just a playground for the rich like many other ski resorts. Sure, you’ll find your Louis Vuittons and Hermes stores but amid that you’ll also find some charming cafes.
Check out Charly’s coffee house located at the start of the promenade – it’s known for having one of the best hot chocolates in Switzerland and we can see why. Chocolately without being overpowering, the warm drink is topped off with a dollop of thick whipped cream and sprinkled with even more chocolate.
The coffee house has a welcoming feel, run entirely by the locals. In fact, the manager of the restaurant was our ski instructor’s mother.
Head to Charly’s for delicious hot chocolate and pastries (Picture: Metro.co.uk)
Highly recommended is to take a leisurely horse-drawn carriage ride around Gstaad and neighbouring Saanen to see the area in all its glory.
After a lovely afternoon walking through the long promenade, we make our way to our next stop for the next couple of days – the Huus Hotel.
Though it’s part of Utopian’s hotel collection, it’s the complete opposite to the Grand Bellevue.
This hotel is designed chalet-style with splendid views across the valley.
Designed by Marwan Naja and Günter Weilguni, it’s comfort meets luxury, curated with art deco style features mixed with climbing rope installations dotted throughout the hotel.
The view from our bedroom at the Huus is stunning (Picture: Metro.co.uk)
The hotel sits above the quiet village of Saanen on a hill, with the ground floor being on the top of the hill and rooms staggered below it, all with a fantastic view of the La Videmanette mountain.
It is a little out of the way, so its best to hire a car as you can’t walk there.
Or there is a public bus stop right outside the hotel as well as a ski shuttle, and three train stations nearby – Gstaad, Saanen and Schönried.
We immediately realize this hotel is built for the more active guests.
The Alpine Centre is housed within the hotel and offers mountain biking, e-biking, rafting, rock climbing and hikes with a local guide included in the room rates.
It also has its own ski school, which is free for children under nine.
Though the lobby can get noisy sometimes, once you’re locked away in your bedroom, all you hear is silence.
It’s the perfect place to listen to one of Headspace’s meditations and take a breather for the night.
The next morning we’re up early, ready to hit the slopes.
After a delicious breakfast at the Huus, we get kitted out in the ski centre then drive to the gondola station.
Gstaad has more than 130 miles of ski slopes, all at different levels so perfect for beginners, intermediates, and advanced skiers.
Hit the slopes or go for a snowy stroll (Picture: Metro.co.uk)
The gondola station is a far cry from your typical peak ski season rush – here there’s barely a queue, and the slopes are pretty quiet.
Snow fall is fresh and new so the perfect conditions for nervous skiers like us.
We’d advise listening to a guided meditation for anxiety to calm the nerves before you hit the slopes so you’re ready to go.
We listened to the first session of the ‘Managing Anxiety’ course. By doing a number of breathing exercises and imagining our body being scanned, we were able to become more aware of our anxiety and thus able to experience it from a different perspective.
We also tried out ‘Remember the Blue Sky’ session, which reminds you to think positively and that everything is going to be okay. This helped when up on the mountains, ready to ski down a steep run, snow blowing in our faces.
If skiing isn’t your thing though, there are plenty of guided hikes offered at the Huus too.
We started our hike at the village of Saanen, equipped with snow boots, our Huus rucksack and plenty of water.
You definitely need the right shoes because there are a lot of steep and icy hills to walk down along the way.
The experience is incredible. All you hear is peace and quiet as you hike through the fresh snow. If you weren’t refreshed before, you are now.
After all that activity, some much-needed sustenance is required.
What better than a fondue-making experience in a private igloo with views of the surrounding mountains?
Finish your day with fondue making in an igloo (Picture: Metro.co.uk)
The Huus offers the igloo to guests for free – you just pay for the fondue experience.
The igloo is well-heated and the delicious smells of fondue engulf the whole space.
We’re offered a cheese and raspberry starter followed by the fondue and a strawberry, meringue and cream dessert.
It’s the true Swiss way and the perfect way to end a truly relaxing trip.
How to get there:
Easyjet offers return flights from London Gatwick to Geneva from £40.
To kickstart your relaxing travel experience you can book in to the No 1 lounge at Gatwick and the Horizon lounge at Geneva airport upon your return. This costs £32pp from Gatwick and £23pp in Geneva and you can book these directly with Holiday Extras.
From Geneva, you can take a train to Gstaad, which takes around two hours and 40 minutes. Train tickets cost £37pp.
When Nicole, from Germany, found little kitten Elli and her sister Rosie, Elli was tiny, covered in mites, and had infections.
She was also black all over except for her nose and paws, with traditional tuxedo markings.
Three years later, Elli looks very different.
That’s because the cat has vitiligo, a condition that’s incredibly rare in animals.
Vitiligo causes the loss of pigment in the skin and fur, causing white patches.
As a result, Elli has transformed from a little tuxedo kitten into a dappled white cat who looks like a baby snow leopard.
Nicole found Elli and her sister Rosie at a farm, and decided to take them both home.
One year later, Nicole noticed a tiny white spot on Elli’s back.
(Picture: Instagram/elli.vitiligo)
She didn’t think much of it, but over the next few months Elli’s fur became speckled with white flecks. Nicole took the kitten to the vet, who told her Elli had vitiligo.
‘It changed very quickly,’ Nicole tells Metro.co.uk. Two years later Elli looks like a totally different cat.
Thankfully Elli’s condition doesn’t affect her beyond her fur – she’s in great health and, Nicole tells us, is ‘very playful, cute, interested, lovely.’
She loves to lounge on the sofa and sunbathe, and doesn’t like being separated from Nicole for even a moment, so follows her everywhere.
Welcome to You Don’t Look Sick – our new weekly series about invisible illness and disabilities.
There are 13.9 million disabled people in the UK, but for many of them, you would have no idea anything is wrong.
Lots of people suffer from debilitating symptoms and daily struggles but when they are out in public, they are challenged when they use priority seats or disabled parking.
They’re told ‘but you don’t look sick’ because they don’t use a wheelchair or something people associate with disability.
This series is a look at what it’s really like to live with a disability or illness that no one can see, discussing the symptoms that affect their lives every day and how they are treated when they are out in public.
(Picture: Dan Joseph for Metro.co.uk)
Katie Ruane, 34, from London, has been living with the blood cancer chronic myeloid leukemia for 12 years.
CML affects the production of white blood cells as the bone marrow produces too many myeloid cells – immature cells that don’t work properly.
It is a cancer that progresses slowly and it is treated differently to other blood cancers.
Patients with CML do not require intensive intravenous chemotherapy and in Katie’s case, it is managed by taking one chemotherapy tablet each day.
However, CML still causes fatigue, pain and weakens the immune system.
Katie says there is a lack of understanding about her condition, particularly because she looks well, is able to work, never lost her hair and other when she was first diagnosed, has not been admitted to hospital.
She explains: ‘I’ve had someone say “My xyz has the bad leukaemia, not the easy one like you”.
‘This was incredibly hurtful as the person was very close to me and they saw how I was with the debilitating fatigue, but I suppose because I’m not in hospital having intravenous chemotherapy and losing my hair, that was forgotten about.
‘I was also told I was very lucky by that first consultant, and you know what? Over the last 12 years I have felt anything but lucky.
‘Yes, I have my hair, yes I don’t spend lots of time living in hospital, yes I have never had to think about my cancer killing me; but I live in limbo land. I have done for a third of my life and will do for the rest of my life. I will always have cancer. So much of my life is controlled by those little white pills and the hospital.’
What is chronic myeloid leukemia?
Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is a cancer of the blood. There are three stages of CML and most patients are diagnosed in the early or chronic phase. In this phase your body makes too many mature white blood cells called granulocytes.
If the disease is left untreated it progresses through a period of instability known as the accelerated phase, to the blast phase.
In this phase there are too many immature cells (blast cells).
You have very few blast cells in your blood or bone marrow if you’re in the chronic phase.
The granulocytes can collect in the spleen, making it swell.
The blasts can overcrowd the bone marrow, meaning there isn’t enough room for other important blood cells to be made. This can cause many of the signs and symptoms of CML.
Katie was diagnosed in January 2007 at the age of 22, while she was studying for a degree in History of Art at the University of Edinburgh.
She had been experiencing symptoms for around six months but didn’t think it was anything serious.
She explains: ‘I had dropped from a size 14-16 to an 8-10 without having to do anything. This to me, wasn’t a bad thing at all and as it was over time, I didn’t really see how much of a change this was.
‘I also craved certain foods that I have since found out have really good nutrients in them. It’s really quite amazing that I was eating foods to try and help my body without knowing anything was wrong.
‘I also lacked concentration but again I didn’t really think about it. It really kicked in over the Christmas holiday and I just thought it was because I was tired after a busy university term and essays and exams.
Her condition can leave her feeling very fatigued (Picture: Katie Ruane)
‘It was the first week of university in the January term when I realised something really was not right.
‘Not only was I knackered all the time, but I also nearly fainted twice in a week.’
Katie was so tired, she struggled to even make an appointment and it was thanks to her flatmate who made her get up and go to an open surgery clinic, that she was eventually diagnosed.
She says: ‘I told the doctor that I didn’t feel right, but I didn’t feel ill either and listed my symptoms.
‘The doctor said – and I don’t know to this day if they meant it, or said it so not to worry me – that they didn’t know what was wrong but they did a blood test and told me to come back in a week for the results.
‘I now know that my symptoms were a list of red flags, but at the time I had no idea. I didn’t go to the doctor worried or on edge, and never expected the series of events that happened next.’
That evening, around 7.30pm, Katie was at home when the hospital called and then told her that rather than waiting a week to go back to the doctor, she needed to go to hospital straight away.
She explains: ‘I said that I would, but I needed to know what was going on. I was over 400 miles away from my parents and I wanted to phone them to tell them what was happening rather than have a stranger doing it.
‘After a series of phone calls from the hospital, and phone calls home to say that something was wrong, I was eventually given enough information to guess that they thought I had cancer.
‘I called my mum on her mobile to tell her. She was in the bread aisle of the supermarket.
‘She said that she loved me and that she would see me in the morning. My parents drove up from near Hungerford via Newcastle to pick up my brother who was at the University of Northumbria, to Edinburgh the following morning.
‘During the various phone calls from the hospital, the person I was speaking to kept on asking how I felt, which began to get a bit irritating in all honesty.
CML also weakens the immune system (Picture: Katie Ruane)
‘I found out after I got to the hospital, that they kept on asking me that as they couldn’t believe I was conscious. My white cell count was so high they were astounded I was walking and talking.
‘If I hadn’t had gone to the doctor that morning and walked into the hospital that evening, I would have collapsed over the weekend and would have been taken to A&E.’
When she was first diagnosed, Katie didn’t really understand the seriousness of her condition.
‘The weekend I was diagnosed, I generally felt ok. I didn’t feel right but I definitely didn’t feel ill,’ she explains.
‘I think as it came completely out of nowhere, I just went into shock.
‘Back then, cancer, especially blood cancers, weren’t in the press as much then, so I was completely naïve to the potential severity of it all. Ignorance is bliss.
‘I had my own room in the hospital with an en suite, fridge, TV and DVD player so I was pretty happy. I didn’t realise it was because they were so worried about me and I was on a high dependency ward.
‘On the Monday, when I met my consultant, I was told that I was lucky and that the cancer I have wouldn’t kill me.
‘I would just have to take these really clever pills for the rest of my life, but it would be better than it had ever been and I wouldn’t know that anything was wrong with me.
‘Once I was told that, and ever since then, I have never worried about the cancer that I have, so this has definitely helped things.
‘I do wish, however, that I hadn’t been told I was lucky with the treatment as it’s been anything but lucky.
(Picture: Dan Joseph for Metro.co.uk)
‘I think then, and I still do now, 12 years down the line, how do I have cancer? How did feeling like I did and feeling like I do mean that I have this? I think this can be the hardest thing to get my head around.
‘I forget that I have it and then out of nowhere it hits me and I struggle with the reality. I have this for life. There is no end of treatment date. No discharge from clinic. No, “It’s all gone. Off you go and enjoy your life.”’
Katie started taking chemotherapy drugs, which help to stop the progression of the cancer but caused her to suffer from extreme fatigue.
A few months ago, she started a new drug and says she now has enough energy to get through the day, as long as she gets plenty of sleep and does not over exert herself.
She explains: ‘I still don’t know how much I can do. You would think I would, but the problem with chronic fatigue (as a side effect of treatment) is that it just comes out of nowhere.
‘Once minute you are fine, well, as fine as you can ever be, and the next you are out of energy and you have no idea how you are going to put one foot in front of the other to get home.
‘A good day until a couple of months ago was being able to get to mid afternoon without feeling completely exhausted after having between 10-12 hours sleep.
‘It was getting through the day and not crying because I didn’t know how I was going to do it.
‘It was being bothered to make something to eat in the evening rather than having to bully myself through everything and just have eggs and toast. Again.
‘It was not feeling like I’d been punched in the face because my eyes burned because I was so tired.
What are the symptoms of CML?
fatigue, or tiredness – this is sometimes caused by anaemia.
loss of appetite.
unexplained weight loss.
increased sweating, particularly at night.
abdominal bloating, swelling and occasionally pain (if your spleen is enlarged).
blurred vision
unusual or excessive bleeding – for example from your gums or nose.
Most patients with chronic phase CML will have an enlarged spleen, which may cause abdominal discomfort (tenderness around the stomach) and a feeling of fullness when you eat.
‘It was not having leg pain and shooting pains down my skull because I was exhausted.
‘It was not struggling through everything regardless of what I did.
‘And I only took one pill a day. It was all of this because of one little white pill.
‘Since starting this new drug, I can see friends in the evening. I can do things at the weekend.
‘During the last decade of chronic fatigue as a side effect of treatment, what has made it even worse is knowing that it’s the drugs and not me doing this but without the drugs I would be dead.
‘I have kept going as much as I can. I am my own worst enemy. I am determined and have probably made my fatigue worse by refusing to be an ill person.
‘I have pushed myself through a second degree, two marathons but on more occasions than I can remember, it was just pushing myself to get out of bed. I have refused to be dictated to by my cancer and letting it dominate my life.’
Katie works as a naturopath across London, which means commuting every day.
In such a busy city, it can be difficult for people to notice when you might need a seat or some space if you have an invisible illness.
Katie appeared in an ad for TFL about the badges for people with invisible conditions (Picture: TFL)
Katie says: ‘‘Until I started this new drug, I couldn’t stand for long and on public transport I desperately needed a seat all the time.
‘A few years ago, through twitter, I found out about the Cancer On Board badge account, which is now a charity and I am a trustee.
‘This badge changed my life and meant that I always got a seat and people were kind and people let me skip the queues in café’s etc.
‘Then when TFL brought out the ‘Please offer me a seat badge’, the two together were like a powerhouse of badges. I have only needed them twice since I started the new drug, and really hope this continues.’
Despite everything she has had to cope with over the last 12 years, Katie is managing her condition and says she is thankful for all the support she has around her.
Katie is an ambassador for Bloodwise (Picture: Katie Ruane)
‘I have amazing friends and family and my current consultant is absolutely phenomenal,’ she says.
‘They have tried every available treatment option with me to see if one works AND lets me have my life.
‘Other consultants have ignored how I have felt because of being so young. This consultant acknowledged that I am a sensitive responder and that really low doses do have a huge impact on me.
‘When things were really bad and I spent most of my time on the sofa, Twitter was amazing. I have made some very good friends through that and having that space was very supporting at the time.
‘I’m also an ambassador for the charity Bloodwise. We have a closed Facebook group and that gang is absolutely phenomenal.
‘They listen to me when I am low and miserable and complaining yet again, and never compare it to them and what they are going through or make me feel completely selfish for complaining again.
‘I also blog. I find writing my ‘brain vomit’ very therapeutic.
‘I do as much as possible to make me happy and to focus on that, no matter how small the thing is.’
You Don’t Look Sick is a weekly series telling the stories of people with invisible illness and disabilities. Next week, we speak to Leanne who has epidermolysis bullosa.
How to get involved with You Don't Look Sick
You Don’t Look Sick is Metro.co.uk’s weekly series that discusses invisible illness and disabilities.
If you have an invisible illness or disability and fancy taking part, please email youdontlooksick@metro.co.uk
You’ll need to be happy to share pictures that show how your condition affects you, and have some time to have some pictures taken.
I was reluctant to train as an astrologer. I had never met one or even contemplated that it might be a career.
But I’d always been into it – I remember noting everyone’s birthday in primary school – and became obsessed in 2008 when my sister’s friend told me about my rising sign, an astrological principal linked to the time of day we are born.
Eventually, I put my hesitations and preconceptions to one side and enrolled at The London School of Astrology. I completed their three year apprenticeship programme, as well as some online courses, and I continue to study with three other schools in London. Who knew there were so many?
I was initially reluctant to train as an astrologer (Photo: Susannah Ireland)
My weeks are a peppered with events, writing and speaking, and I spend at least one day a week doing readings. People come to see me at home or we talk on Skype. I prepare the charts in advance and spend an hour or so going through them to get a better idea of what is going on for a client.
This means I can help translate their experiences – an astrology reading with me (and most astrologers) is a two way dialogue.
Mostly, I do birth chart readings, which involves interpreting the placements of all the planets in the sky at the moment you were born. By examining the relative positions of the planets, astrologers use it to deduce things about your life and personality.
Birth chart readings involve interpreting the placements of all the planets in the sky at the moment you were born (Photo credit: Susannah Ireland)
It is not a psychic reading. I talk about layers of personality, the person you aspire to be professionally, the sort of person who makes you feel emotionally secure and the way you communicate.
For instance, if you have a love of travel and adventure but also loathe change, life can feel very frustrating – you end up having wanderlust then feeling homesick when you’re abroad. The magic lies in articulating the breadth of your life, interests and goals then giving air to all of them.
During a reading I will not tell you anything you did not already know, but we will dust off the shelves and add definition and clarity to what you already know to be true.
Relationships dominate our lives and people are eager to understand what is going on (Photo: Susannah Ireland)
I can also make suggestions as to how to best use nature. Just like every plant has an optimal amount of light, water and nutrients to thrive, so do humans. If you know what your perfect conditions are then you can work towards them.
I also host a lot of relationship astrology workshops. In the UK at least we are not all fans of speaking about ourselves but our relationships dominate our lives and people are eager to understand what is going on. I’ll explore compatibility of emotional ‘Moon signs’ or how our ‘Venus sign’ describes what we love.
Whilst there is an element of intuition involved, most of us are ‘know’ what someone is like by their behaviour – it’s not witch-y insight, it’s basic people skills.
We may all be unique but we all want the same things (Photo: Susannah Ireland)
People from all walks of life come to see me, though it’s mainly women. Absolutely everyone is interested in love and work – we may all be unique but we all want the same things, and I find that commonality so heartwarming.
People often tell me that they don’t know what they ‘should’ be doing and want some clarity in that area, or to know if they are with the right person.
Some clients really stand out. One had leadership ‘written’ all over her chart and I could not stop talking about it. Within a few weeks she set up her own business and is doing really well.
When a client tells me ‘I remember who I am now’ it’s brilliant to hear (Photo: Susannah Ireland)
Another client had a chart that indicated she would be a brilliant communicator, perhaps a writer or journalist. As we discussed this she told me she had won a paid internship at a big newspaper immediately after graduating but was offered a job elsewhere and took it. Life evolved and she almost forgot about the personal satisfaction that went with using those skills.
And any heartfelt feedback from a client who tells me ‘I remember who I am now’ is always brilliant to hear.
I am nonplussed when people tell me that astrology isn’t real. They think this because they have read horoscopes and (understandably) think that’s all there is to it. Horoscopes are a useful but very diluted expression of astrology.
I used to want to explain how it actually worked but there are only so many times you can say the same thing before you go mad. These days I just change the subject.
I want to tell as many people as possible how brilliant astrology is (Photo: Susannah Ireland)
I am currently studying medical astrology, which uses planetary placements and their geometrical relationship to understand the root of certain ailments and accidents. As holistic medicine becomes more widely accepted I think medical astrology and all natural medical solutions will become more respected too.
I want to tell as many people as possible how brilliant astrology is in a way that is down to earth, useful, relatable and where possible, amusing. Laughter always has and always will be the best medicine.
For more information and to book a reading with Fran, visitfrancescaoddie.com or follow the links on Instagram @francescaoddieastrology
This summer, there’s a new development in yoga at the Natural History Museum in Kensington, where you’ll be able to do yoga under a humongous man-made moon.
The museum already offers morning classes in partnership with East of Eden, a yoga studio in Walthamstow, but the lunar presence is a first.
Modelled after imagery of the real thing, supplied by NASA, the replica is made completely to scale.
Designed by Luke Jerram, each centimetre of the seven metre planet represents five kilometres on the actual moon.
It’s been on a worldwide tour and will be available at the museum as of May, where yogis can do poses under the creation.
Some of the classes are specifically themed too, such as the Nidra yoga with a crystal sound bath on 3 June and the full moon Kundalini yoga and gong bath on 17 June – both of which cost £26 per class.
The moon will hang in the museum until September.
Even if you don’t fancy yoga, it’s worth swinging by just to take a look at the incredible structure.
We all know childbirth changes a woman’s body. And yet when mums want to embrace their bodies and the marks and scars that come with it, sometimes they are stared at or told to dress differently.
Sick of being told to cover up, photographer Natalie McCain decided to invite women from various walks of life to get into a swimsuit they feel comfortable in and flaunt their bodies.
The 32-year-old from Rockledge, Florida, wants to end body-shaming against women and drive home the message that any body is bikini body ready.
So, she started The Honest Body Project in 2015 to promote self-love. Natalie, a champion of women’s rights has organised photoshoots around various topics that affect women such as cancer, breastfeeding, and anxiety.
Her latest shoot, made up of stunning black and white images, includes women and their young daughters at the beach in their swimwear to inspire future generations to be proud of whatever body they came in.
The women who took part were also asked to bring a sign with a message they wanted to send loud and clear.
‘I will not wear your expectations on my body,’ was one of them.
(Picture: Natalie McCain – Mid Drift Movement)
‘We’ve heard it all… and we are sick of it!’ Natalie wrote on the Honest Body Project website, a project she has written a book about. ‘On a foggy Florida morning, we took to the beach to show that you should be proud of your body — no matter what.
‘The women made signs to add their own voices and showed off their honest bodies. The women were encouraged to wear whatever bathing suit they felt comfortable in. For some, that’s a bikini. For others, it’s not! No one should be shamed into believing they have to wear a certain type of bathing suit, and you should be proud of your body and wear whatever you feel confident in.
‘Empowering women to feel beautiful and confident in what they want to wear is the message behind this shoot. There are so many variations of bodies. There is not one size or one shape that is allowed to wear a bikini. If you want to wear one — do it! If you don’t, that’s fine too.
‘The point of our message is to love your body and be proud of it. Society can’t dictate what you should wear.’
(Picture: Natalie McCain – Mid Drift Movement)
For the shoot, Natalie also teamed up with Mid Drift, a non-profit working to change the conversation on postpartum bodies.
Some of the women proudly showed off caesarian scars and stretch marks while one woman was pictured breastfeeding her older children.
One of the signs read: ‘Women Empower Women #bebold,’ while another read ‘how to have a bikini body: put a bikini on.’
Occasionally though, they come up with a design we think is pretty rad.
At the moment, that is Fashion Nova’s fanny pack which might make the odd wearer feel like action hero Lara Croft.
An image of the brand’s product has been circulating online on Twitter where the bag is getting a lot of love.
When one user tweeted: ‘This is about to have women thinking they’re Lara Croft,’ the post got over 36,000 likes with plenty of women asking where they could grab theirs.
Conveniently, the user also included a link to the Fashion Nova website where the Next Level Harness Fanny Pack is available in red for $24.99 (£19.14) though shipping to the UK also has an $8.99 (£6.89) price tag.
The popularity of fanny packs also showed the declining interest in a flimsy old purse or handbag which are often bigger and tiring to carry around.
this is so cute and convenient and it’s not ugly as hell like a fanny pack i’m a fan https://t.co/wEZ3NjQYhB
Unlike a normal fanny pack worn around the waist or shoulders, the Next Level Harness bag is wrapped around the waist and then the thigh, giving people Lara Croft feels.
The popular action heroine wears a similar holster belt buckle that Fashion Nova’s bag is reminiscent of.
And it’s not just young women getting in on the fashion staple, one woman wrote how she and her granddaughter are sporting the look.
A buyer, identified as Cynthia W, left a review on the website saying: ‘Bought one for myself and one for my granddaughter. We love it! Have gotten a lot of compliments and my granddaughter’s friends want to know where to buy.’
Similarly, Jillian C left five stars saying: ‘I love this bag. It’s such a cute spin on a fanny pack and it’s a great size. The straps are adjustable for both leg and waist and it’s super comfortable.’
While many lauded Fashion Nova for the creation, some people mentioned that other independent creatives have made similar designs.
It clicked – it was Adrian, the boy who had made my school days a misery (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
Walking into the pub with some girlfriends I spotted a group of men leaning against the bar.
One looked vaguely familiar but I couldn’t work out how I knew him. Then with a horrible knot in my stomach it clicked. It was Adrian, the boy who had made my school days a misery.
Now, almost 30 years later, here he was – standing just a few feet away. My mind raced with memories of the vile names he’d shouted at me and the comments about my lanky teenage figure, goofy pre-brace teeth and adolescent skin said for all to hear.
The onslaught had been relentless. I dreaded walking down the corridor between classes for fear of hearing his voice shouting abuse after me. It didn’t stop in the confines of school either.
There was no social media back then so no chance for him to attack me that way, but as we were in the same year group I often found myself at the same social events as him outside school.
One memory that now flooded back was the occasion when Adrian had thrown me, fully clothed, into a lake that a few of us had gathered by one summer’s evening.
I remember trying to laugh along with his gang of mates as I clambered out soaked to the skin, desperately trying to save my tears of humiliation for the sodden bus journey home.
Already uncomfortable with my gawky, spotty, awkward teenage appearance, his comments just confirmed my ugliness to me.
I sat down with my friends and tried to pretend he wasn’t there. But out of the corner of my eye I was aware of a person looking over, then hovering next to us, just inches away. It was him, my former tormentor.
‘It’s Caroline isn’t it? I wanted to come over and apologise. I was a total c*** at school and I’m ashamed of my behaviour,’ he said.
As I stared into the face that was still familiar after all this time, I had to make a split second decision in that moment whether to accept his apology and move on or to tell him where to go.
I chose the first option. I stood up, looked him in the eye and said: ‘Thank you, that means a lot.’
After a brief catch-up on the past three decades we had a hug and I left. It may have been an encounter of just a few minutes but it felt great, liberating almost.
It was important to have an acknowledgement that he knew his behaviour was wrong. People do feel remorse, people can change.
I wasn’t his only target by any means, either. My Jewish and Asian friends had been the subject of racist name-calling.
I remember one of my friends buying Adrian a chocolate bar in a desperate bid to put an end to his shouts of abuse every time he spotted her.
Anyone slightly different had been a target of his venom. His vitriol was spread far and wide across our suburban secondary school, filling me with dread at the mere mention of his name.
Already uncomfortable with my gawky, spotty, awkward teenage appearance, his comments just confirmed my ugliness to me.
Now, all these years later, with a university degree, a move to London, a husband and children, even a tiny bit of modelling under my belt, it still felt like I was that ugly, 13-year-old girl again when I first saw him.
If I could talk to the insecure. teenage me, I would tell her to walk away with her head held high. What she is going through is horrible, but she will be so much stronger for it in the future. Much more resilient and able to deal with what life throws at her.
She’ll be at university soon and won’t give this a second thought.
Adrian was one of the first proper bullies I’d encountered but by no means the last. The strength I gained from dealing with him stood me in good stead for the future.
The world is a different place now. In the 1980s we were just left to get on with it and I don’t think it even occurred to me to tell anyone what was happening to me at school.
At my sons’ school today there are systems in place to ensure bullying is stamped out at the first whiff of trouble. They have assemblies devoted to ‘being kind’ and ‘stop it, I don’t like it’. So I hope my children never have to endure any of the school day dread that I did.
On the rare occasions when potential bullying has flared up – one child trying to isolate another and get everyone else to turn against him – my children have immediately seen the situation for what it is and refused to join in.
In fact my eldest son stood up to his bullying classmate and took the victim under his wing, something I am very proud of.
Time and experience has taught me that bullies aren’t born that way, there is usually something going on in their own lives which pushes them to act like that.
It’s something that I tell my own children now if they encounter bullying. The person must be very sad and miserable and we should feel sorry for them, while also standing up to them.
I don’t know what led Adrian to behave how he did all those years ago. It’s the one regret I have from our unexpected encounter – I should have asked him why. Although I’m not sure he could explain it himself.
Duke the dog, mayor of a Minnesota village and certified very good boy, has died.
The 13-year-old Great Pyrenees had been elected mayor of Cormorant Village for four years in a row since 2014.
Voting for the position took place at the annual local festival called ‘Cormorant Daze,’ with votes costing $1 each and Duke was always a popular leader.
His job involved representing the town, leading parades and appearing on billboards.
He retired due to ill health last year and he revealed all about his life as a fluffy politician in a tell-all book.
According to Dl-online, he was on meds for arthritis, had lyme disease twice, and his owners Karen Nelson and Dave Rick suspected he had been hit by a car a couple years back.
After his retirement, Karen said he would spend the rest of his days lying on the lawn and eating his favorite foods: cheeseburgers, jerky treats, and a little bit of sweet stuff.
Sadly, he passed away on 21 February and his owners paid tribute on his Facebook page.
The post said: ‘Our beloved mayor Duke went to doggie heaven today.
‘He will be greatly missed.
‘We will have a memorial for him in March or April at the Cormorant town hall.
‘Thanks to all who express their condolences it means a lot of hard times like this.’
Run free Duke. We hope there’s lots of cheeseburgers up there.
(Picture: Handsworth Self Portrait/ Bishton, Homer & Reardon)
If you saw a pop-up photo shoot set up on a public street, would you photograph yourself?
Residents of a Birmingham street found themselves in that situation 40 years ago and were left to take self-portraits when a camera and blank screen was set up.
In 1979 photographer Derek Bishton, Brian Homer and John Reardon erected a pop-up photography studio on a street in Grove Lane, Handsworth, Birmingham.
At the time, photography was seldom practiced except for admin purposes like passports or special occasions like weddings. So a public photo studio which let passers-by use the shutter release and control the moment they wanted captured was a big deal.
Over 500 people flocked to the pop-up studio to take their own selfies, bringing their friends, family, and pets into the frame.
Those who took part in their project – which ran from August to October – were given a free print to keep.
And now these images are being showcased in a new exhibition at the Midlands Arts Centre (MAC).
(Picture: Handsworth Self Portrait/ Bishton, Homer & Reardon)
The exhibition presents the original photographic prints, on loan from Birmingham Museums Trust on behalf of Birmingham City Council, along with images never before seen in public.
The collection of images provides a unique insight into a vibrant, multicultural community and offers an opportunity to look back at local people to see what has changed.
‘For most people who took part it was just a bit of a laugh,’ said Derek Bishon, one of the people who set it up at the time.
(Picture: Handsworth Self Portrait/ Bishton, Homer & Reardon)
‘As photographers, we had a serious intent because we recognised that Handsworth, at that time, was undergoing a radical change in terms of the demographics of the area. It was really the UK’s first multicultural suburb, and we wanted to make a record of that moment and give the people a role in creating that record.
‘We wanted to challenge the negative representation of Handsworth people in the local and national newspapers and give people a chance to literally and figuratively put themselves in the frame, to represent themselves. I think one of the great joys, when you look back on the self-portraits, is seeing how well people of all ages and backgrounds presented themselves. How good they look.’
Midlands Arts Centre is also encouraging anyone who recognises the subjects from the pictures to come forward and identify them.
An orphaned baby donkey looked after by two sheep is now convinced she’s one of the herd.
Miniature donkey Roberta has been looked after by staff at Folly Farm Animal Sanctuary in South Wales after she lost mum Margi in December last year.
Unable to feed herself, the 3ft 36in foal had to be cared for and bottle fed by farm manager Jane Hill, 52, and assistant farm manager Kim Brickell, 27.
But both Kim and Jane became concerned Roberta was enjoying her home comforts too much and becoming too humanised after being looked after by them.
So, they decided to introduce Roberta to two sheep which also live on the farm – Lamby and Snowy, both one – with incredible results.
The trio got on like a house on fire, and now Roberta, who shares a barn with her new pals, has picked up tips from her new friends – and begun to act in a decidedly sheep-like way.
Jane said: ‘We didn’t want Roberta to become too humanised so we decided it was best to pair her up with some sheep.
‘Now that she’s moved into the barn, Roberta has been ‘adopted’ by Lamby and Snowy, who she lives with.
‘The lambs teach her all the things her mum would have done, such as learning how to graze on grass.
Roberta the donkey, and Lamby the sheep (Picture: Caters News Agency
‘I think she thinks a sheep as she chooses to play with the sheep rather than the donkeys.
‘Lamby and Snowy have even showed Roberta how to eat grass like them.’
Jane said Roberta frequently cuddles up to the pair when they sleep and revealed neighbouring goats in the same barn have even been providing her with milk.
Roberta is able to stretch her legs in the barn’s adjoining paddock, where she spends her days out in front of the public along with Lamby and Snowy before going back inside in the evenings.
Adorable footage shows the trio playfully running around the paddock without a care in the world.
Jane said the lambs teach Roberta the same essentials that her mum would have done.
She added: ‘Thanks to Lamby and Snowy, Roberta’s future is looking good.’
Getting a taxi across town often means you are in a bit of a rush – but this woman had more reason than most to ask the driver to put his foot down.
Lara Cameron-Cole was just five days away from her due date when she went into labour on 20 January while she was having dinner at home in New Cross, Deptford, London.
The 38-year-old – who is already mum to two boys Dade, five, and Ire, two – went into labour and was advised to get to St. Thomas’ Hospital, London, as quickly as possible.
Her husband, Eniola, 38, a content producer, called an Uber to rush them to the maternity ward.
The couple bundled into the back of the Skoda Octavia – but within minutes Lara said she could feel the baby’s head between her legs and just seconds later their daughter Florance was born and fell in the foot well – without the need to push.
Lara Cameron-Cole with her daughter Florance in the Uber cab where she was born (Picture: Paul Davey/SWNS)
The couple estimated their Florance was born at 5.13pm – after looking at their Uber receipt – and later discovered she weighed a healthy 6lbs 8oz.
Lara and Eniola tipped their driver, Sherif Cacaj, who put his foot down to make it to hospital as speedily as he could – where a team of medics were waiting to assist the panicked parents.
Mum and baby were checked over and Lara delivered her placenta before she and Eniola were able to take their new addition home.
Lara, an interior designer, said: “I’m already a mum-of-two so I thought I knew what to expect when I went into labour.
‘This time around it was so quick though. All in all, from my waters breaking to the baby arriving, it took about 10 minutes.
‘We’d barely made it into the Uber to the hospital when I knew I had to pull down my dress as I could feel the baby’s head.
‘I didn’t even need to push, she just suddenly fell out onto the foot well.
‘The poor Uber driver didn’t know where to look and was trying as best he could to get there as quickly as possible without running red lights and breaking the law.’
Lara and her husband had been having dinner when she suddenly went into labour.
The medical team who helped Eniola and Lara Cameron-Cole after their daughter was born in the back of an Uber (Picture: Paul Davey/SWNS)
She said: ‘It was really painful. I knew the baby was on it’s way.
‘We called St Thomas Hospital and they told us to get in a taxi and hurry to the maternity ward.
‘My husband booked an Uber and grabbed my hospital bag.
‘We’d just got into the back of the taxi when I felt the baby’s head crowning.
‘I pulled my dress off and then felt down and I had my hand on her whole head.
‘I told Eniola: “I can feel the baby’s head” and he said: “Surely not”.
‘He was on the phone to the hospital and I could hear them saying: “Just hold on, you’re almost here”.
‘I couldn’t stop it though, I didn’t even push, the next thing I knew my baby was here – she was on the floor.’
Lara’s husband called the hospital to let them know the baby had already arrived and a team of medics were waiting for them in the car park.
‘They met us with warm blankets and a wheelchair,’ Lara explained.
They couldn’t take the baby from me as we were still connected by the umbilical cord so I was rushed upstairs.
‘It was such a quick, easy and painless birth.
‘We weren’t expecting that kind of birth.
‘We gave our driver a big tip at the end.
‘He was doing all he could.
‘He was trying to get us to hospital as quickly as he could, while trying not to break the law by running red lights and speeding – and he had me screaming in the back.
‘He was a really nice man.’
Uber driver Sherif Cacaj, 55, from Deptford, London, has been an Uber driver for six months and was shocked to find he had an extra passenger.
Proud mum Lara with her three week old baby Florance (Picture: Paul Davey/SWNS)
He said: ‘First the lady in my car said: “It’s coming, it’s coming” and the next thing I knew she said “the baby is out” and it was crying.
‘I just drove as fast as I could to get to the hospital in about five/six minutes.
‘The parents told me it was a little girl. They were a really nice family.
‘The car was a bit messy, but not too much.’
An Uber spokesperson said: ‘We are delighted that Lara and her baby are doing well.
‘Sherif remained calm under pressure and ensured they arrived safely to the hospital.
‘Uber is proud to play a small part in helping this new family when they needed a quick, reliable ride the most.’
Jlissa Austin – who doesn’t have arms or knees – was born with a condition she still has no name for. Doctors told her family she would never be able to walk or lead a normal life.
And yet, the now 30-year-old from Texas, U.S, has not only opened up her own hair weave business, but she is also about to get married.
Even after all these years, Jlissa is unsure what has caused her condition but she has managed to get by – using her feet to brush her teeth and text with her phone.
Her symptoms were not aligned with a particular condition, doctors simply told her mum that Jlissa had a stunted growth and that she wouldn’t experience a good quality of life.
Proving them wrong, Jlissa and fiance Johnathan, who is a 5’6” able-bodied man, live together in Houston and are currently planning their dream wedding for the summer of 2019.
She said among all her achievements, she is happiest to have found her soul mate Jonathan whom she met 13 years ago.
The pair started off as friends all those years ago but eventually fell in love. Now they are excited to become husband and wife.
(Picture: Barcroft Images)
‘I didn’t think it would ever happen to me – meeting someone like this. It feels so good to know that Johnathan is by my side,’ Jlissa told BarcroftTV.
‘When people see us walking around together, some of them shake Johnathan’s hand and say “I salute you, you’re doing a good job”. But we don’t experience issues with people judging our relationship too much thankfully.
‘We’re both really looking forward to our wedding now.’
(Picture: Barcroft Images)
Jlissa also added that she’d been really fortunate, especially in her childhood as she didn’t experience any bullying, with most children taking to her quickly because of her ‘doll’ size.
Now she also counts herself lucky as she can do lots of things by herself, with some help from fiance Jonathan.
‘The everyday tasks that I can still do; I brush my teeth, use my phone, work on a daily basis and go out and network myself,’ Jlissa added.
‘I can pick a lot of things up with my feet. On a good day, I am also able to take myself to the restroom.
(Picture: Barcroft Images)
‘The word “can’t” is just not in my vocabulary. I am here today, being the person I was meant to be.
‘I want to tell everyone to stay strong and be yourself. Never give up.
‘I’m really proud of myself and how far I have come.’
But for women around the world, the traditions surrounding having a baby are different.
These striking images show how how eleven countries from the UK to India and Uganda to Sweden celebrate new life.
From porridge-making and paint masks to baptisms and beer-brewing, the touching series is being released by WaterAid as part of its Water Effect campaign, which aims to help protect mothers and ensure all babies have the best possible start in life by getting clean water, decent sanitation and good hygiene in health centres access the world.
It features traditions such as Nana Fatsuma in Nigeria, where a stick with twig-like fingers is placed in a bowl of water and given to the labouring mother to hasten delivery, the Okuizome first food ceremony for babies in Japan, and the Ghanaian custom of Nila where a small cut is made on the child’s face to protect them from convulsions.
However, one in nine people around the world have no access to clean water, while one in three health centres have no safe water source.
Babies born in these health centres will face health risks such as infections, which can be fatal. Every minute a newborn baby dies from infection caused by a lack of safe water and an unclean environment.
Tim Wainwright, Chief Executive of WaterAid said: ‘The birth of a new baby is a time of great joy and celebration, and all over the world, communities hold to traditions believed to keep the mothers safe and bring the babies good luck, happiness or good health.
‘But for the millions of mothers who have no choice but attend a health centre without clean water, they do not have the most important thing to welcome any new life – clean water and a hygienic environment.
‘It’s unacceptable that in the developing world one in three health centres do not have clean water. This means doctors and midwives cannot protect their patients from the risk of infection, and the consequences can be fatal.
‘That’s why we’re putting clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene at the heart of healthcare, helping save lives every day. Healthcare workers can keep their hands and utensils clean; mothers can give birth more safely; and children can stay healthy and in school. That’s the water effect.’
USA
In the USA, a priest baptises four month old Emmeline at the Roman Catholic Holy Family Church in New Jersey. Some Catholics believe pouring holy water over a baby’s head absolves them of original sin
(Picture: WaterAid/Jill Costantino)
Parents Robert, 38, and Marisa, 37, hold their four month old baby Emmeline. She was baptised in a Roman Catholic church (Picture: WaterAid/ Amanda Dolly)
Japan
In Japan, baby Miwa, four weeks has a first food ceremony. Natsumi, 29, feeds her daughter Miwa during the ceremony which is called Okuizome
(Picture: WaterAid)
(Picture: WaterAid/Kodai)
(Picture: WaterAid/Kodai)
Sweden
In Sweden, Sebastian, 31, cuts his newborn son Harry’s umbilical cord in an operating theatre at Ostersund hospital. The convention helps fathers feel more involved in the birth.
(Picture: WaterAid/Mikaela Lindstrom)
(Picture: WaterAid/Mikaela Lindstrom)
India
In India, Rinku, 22, applies thick, black ‘kajal’ or kohl to her child Kritika’s eyes, to ward off evil spirits.
Rinku said: ‘The tradition of applying kohl or ‘kajal’ to the infant’s eyes and forehead began long ago and has been taught to each generation by the elders.
‘The black kajal protects the child from any evil spirits and keeps them healthy.”
‘Water plays a key role in many of the traditions; it is used to make a special porridge for new mums in Malawi and is mixed with ground tree branch to form a paste to create a ‘masonjoany’ mask in Madagascar.’
(Picture: WaterAid/Prashanth Vishwanathan)
(Picture: WaterAid/Prashanth Vishwanathan)
Uganda
In Uganda, Nagit 30, husband Lomer, 32, and baby Bakita sit with their five children after the blessing of their newborn. As part of this, the skin of the Etopojjo tree is soaked in water, forming small strings. These strings are then tied around the baby’s wrist, ankles, neck and waist.
(Picture: WaterAid/James Kiyimba)
(Picture: WaterAid/James Kiyimba)
Awas, 58, (far left) serves local beer to her six week old grandson Loumo, mum Sagal, 24, and clan elders. The clan members all drink from one gourd as a sign of peace and togetherness as they welcome the new baby.
(Picture: WaterAid/James Kiyimba)
(Picture: WaterAid/James Kiyimba)
Zambia
In Zambia, Flora, 59, sits with her daughter, Linety, 18, and prepares to bathe her grandaughter, Maria, one month, in Nsambilo, a concoction of protection made from tree roots, believed to keep the baby healthy and protect her from evil spirits.
Provider:
(Picture: WaterAid/Chileshe Chanda)
Linety, 18, bathes her daughter Maria (Picture: WaterAid/Chileshe Chanda)
Baby Mutinta, two weeks old, wears ‘kakonde’, a necklace to protect her from vomiting, diarrhoea and bad omens.
Grandma Estheli, 62, covers baby Mutinta, two weeks old, while being held by her mother Chuuma, 18 (Picture: WaterAid/Chileshe Chanda)
Baby Mutinta (Picture: WaterAid/Chileshe Chanda)
Nigeria
In Nigeria, the twig tree is held in a calabash bowl waiting to dissolve in water as part of the Nana Fatsuma tradition. The pregnant mum will drink the solution to hasten delivery.
(Picture: WaterAid/Wash Media Network Nigeria)
Malawi
In Malawi, Lucia, 26, mum to newborn baby Bertha, sits with her mother, Melisa. Melise has made her a special porridge from soya, maize flour and sugar which is given to mums after childbirth. It is thought to give her energy and the nutrients she needs.
(Picture: WaterAid/Jenny Lewis)
Grandmother Melise makes porridge for her daughter, Lucia, 26, who has just given birth to baby Bertha (Picture: WaterAid/Jenny Lewis)
Lucia, 26, mum to newborn baby Bertha, eats a special porridge made from soya, maize flour and sugar which is given to mums after childbirth. (Picture: WaterAid/Jenny Lewis)
Madagascar
Nome, 21, wears a ‘masonjoany’ mask to protect herself from the sun and bad spirits. She sits with her sister, who applied the mask. It is made by grinding a sandalwood tree branch and adding water to form a paste. She holds her seven-day-old baby, Jackie Marcel Stephan.
Nome said: ‘In our culture, mothers like me and our newborn babies are not allowed to go outside during the first seven days after the birth.
‘The mother is still suffering and the baby is still very fragile. My older sister applied a ‘masonjoany’ mask to my face to protect it from the sun and from all bad spirits.
‘Once we have made it through these sacred critical seven days, we step outside for a short time to face the reality of life and the bright sun.’
(Picture: WaterAid/Ernest Randriarimalala)
(Picture: WaterAid/ Ernest Randriarimalala)
Scotland
Emma is given a coin by her Nana, Sandra, a custom meant to bring good luck and prosperity.
In Scotland, Ross, 35, and Amanda, 32, from Glasgow hold their five week old baby, Emma (Picture: PAUL WATT PHOTOGRAPHY)
In Scotland, five-week-old Emma is given a coin by her Nana, Sandra, a custom meant to bring good luck and prosperity (Picture: PAUL WATT PHOTOGRAPHY)
Ghana
In Ghana, Vida took part in the Kosoto custom following David’s birth where bark from a tree is taken, boiled in water and then poured over her to protect her from stomach problems in future pregnancies.
Caption: Vida Atolyaba, aged 30, holds her son David, aged 3 1/2 months, outside the Busongo Health Centre (Picture: Eliza Powell)
Vida Atolyaba, aged 30 (C) sits with her children (L-R) Patrick, aged 11, David, 2 1/2 months, Hannah, aged 5 and Desmond, aged 3 (Picture: Eliza Powell)
Mary, 21, and her husband Sampson performed the Nila tradition where a traditional herbalist makes a small cut on the baby’s cheek, thought to prevent the him from getting convulsions. Both parents also did the Nila tradition as infants.
Mary Ayanga, aged 21 (L) stands with her husband Sampson Ayanga (R) holding their two-year old son Nathanial (Picture: Eliza Powell)
