Woman who has overcome chronic fatigue syndrome to run in Great North Run in aid of Action For ME

12:10pm Thursday 2nd September 2010

By Nicola Fifield

A MOTHER-OF-TWO who was struck down by chronic fatigue syndrome as a teenager will celebrate her recovery by tackling next month’s Great North Run.

Heather Millard, now 32, was studying to become a teacher at York St John University when she became ill with a virus at the age of 19.

Her condition became so bad she struggled to get out of bed in the morning, had difficulty getting dressed and was unable to walk by herself.

She said: “It was really difficult to cope with. I’d always been very active. Everybody used to laugh at me at university because I was always up at 6am when everybody else was lying in bed with a hangover.

“Then all of a sudden I felt exhausted and had no energy to do anything. I did really think that must be how you feel when you’re about 80.”

After eventually being diagnosed with ME, Heather began a programme of gradually increasing everyday activities and very slowly started to feel better.

But she said it wasn’t until she gave birth to her first daughter that she really turned a corner.

She said: “There is some research that the hormones that go through your body when you’re pregnant help ME sufferers and there definitely seems to be some truth in that for me.

“When I had my first daughter I felt noticeably better and then when I had my second daughter I felt much more like myself again.”

Heather, who lives in Stamford Bridge with her husband, Paul, and their two daughters, Grace, six, and Esther, two, is now training to run the 13-plus miles of the Great North Run.

Her goal is to raise £500 for the charity Action For ME and she also hopes her story will inspire other ME sufferers to realise that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Heather, who works as a PA at York Hospital, said: “The first time I went for a run I was absolutely ecstatic. That’s when I really realised my life had changed so much and I’m just so grateful for that.

“I want to give that hope to other people that one day they will be able to get better as well. I would say to them, don’t give up hope and keep believing that you will get better.”

To sponsor Heather, visit her online fundraising page at justgiving.com/heathercatherinemillard