Never mind the boxes: Leonie Martin
Leonie Martin has submitted her personal story to a BBC writing competition.
She shares her experiences of being diagnosed and living with MS in a life of challenges, the changes it has brought and a different but positive future.
Here's the synopsis of the story; you can read the full story on the BBC website.
Ticking multiple-choice boxes on official forms is part of modern life. But for me, the hardest to complete are the ones which ask about my background, employment status and health.
As a young girl growing up in the North of England, I hoped one day to go to college or university; fall in love; start a family - just like those girls in Jackie magazine with the bubble-perms and impossibly-long legs. However, between the ages of 12 and 18, I lost my mother to alcoholism and mental illness, and my loving father to brain cancer. I became homeless and was fostered by two caring families. Thanks to the stability they provided, I passed my exams, started work and bought a little house. But just as life was looking up, drugs and alcohol cut short the life of my troubled younger brother. Did this trigger something in my genetic make-up…a legacy from ancient Viking invaders? My body's own defence force turned on itself in an act of friendly fire: instead of healing me, it harmed me.
Serendipity intervened - the invader retreated. I married and became a mother. I worked hard - determined that my children would never experience the fears and insecurity of my own childhood. But the axe-wielding, genetic spectre returned. It plundered my resilience, sabotaged my career, and plunged me back into a life of uncertainty.
Seven years later, with medication, love and support, I've redefined myself. Instead of crunching numbers for a living, I produce words: spoken and written. I hope to inspire others with identity issues: children in care; those living with chronic conditions or memory problems. I'm still not sure which boxes I tick, but I'll tell you my story then leave it up to you to decide.
- Read the full story on the BBC website
- Read more
- BBC writing competition
