AN administrator from Colne has shared her experiences of living with a rare chromosome disorder.
Donna Oiller (31) hopes that by speaking out she will be able to erase the negative connotations that can be attached to Turner Syndrome — a condition that affects about one in every 2,000 baby girls.
The Burnley Hospital worker, who was only diagnosed as a teenager, is concerned that there is a general lack of understanding about TS. She also feels that it should not be looked upon as an illness.
While the former Nelson and Colne College student has had to overcome obstacles as a result of her condition, she said she has always been able to follow her dreams.
As a result of her height, 4ft. 11in, Donna was bullied during her school days, and she has had issues when it comes to day-to-day tasks such as buying fashionable clothes. She is also unable to have children, has poor eye-sight, and while she is not deaf, she does have hearing problems.
But despite her symptoms, Donna said she has always managed to achieve her goals and urges anybody with a similar condition to also “reach for the stars”.
As a passionate runner, Donna has been able to raise money for the Turner Syndrome Support Society by completing the London Marathon and the Great North Run. She is also hopeful of passing her driving test this month and has been happily married to Stephen for 10 years.
Donna, the proud owner of two cats, four guinea pigs, and three rabbits, said: “There are people out there achieving more on worse odds.
“There are negatives to everything in life, and sometimes you have got to put things in perspective.
“You can achieve as much as anybody else.”
Talking to the Colne Times, Liz Martindale, perinatal lead at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, agreed that she had seen many girls with Turner Syndrome living “normal lives”.
She said: “People with Turner Syndrome tend to be small, and they can sometimes have neck webbing.
“I would certainly regard people who have it as completely normal.”
For more information on Turner Syndrome visit www.tss.org.uk.