Kelly-Marie Stewart's walking determination
Sunday, 9 August 2009
'Hollyoaks' star Kelly-Marie Stewart is determined to walk again.
The 24-year-old blonde - who plays Hayley Ramsay in the Chester-based soap - has Guillain-Barre syndrome, which damages the body's nervous system and can leave sufferers paralysed.
Hayley, who lost the ability to walk three years ago and needs a wheelchair, said: "It started with pins and needles in my feet. Then one day when I was driving on the motorway I couldn't control the accelerator properly.
"I went to see my doctor and he sent me to hospital. They were really worried, so they asked me to stay in for a few days. On the second day I was walking to the toilet and I collapsed. I've not been able to walk since.
"It happened so quickly, it was incredibly frightening. But I was lucky, some people are paralysed from the neck down. At least I still have the use of my upper body."
But she is hopeful she can realise her dream of walking again
She added: "At the beginning I set goals for myself. I would say, 'You'll be walking by your birthday'. But that never happened. Then it was Christmas, then New Year. In the end I gave up setting myself goals and just promised myself I'd work as hard as I could every day and take the baby steps to my dream."
(C) BANG Media International
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