Chronic illness advocate, vlogger and SOS Volunteer Vicky Nash joins the board of Trustees
I live in a small town just outside of Blackpool in Lancashire & I am truly honoured to be a trustee for SOS and feel so passionate about the work the charity does.
In 2014 I was diagnosed with several chronic illnesses which left me disabled and needing daily support.
Some incredibly difficult times followed, emotionally, financially and obviously physically trying to navigate a new life with disabilities and chronic illness. It was tough. My mental health took a huge knock and I really struggled to come to terms with all that was happening in my life.
Dave, my partner, was also hit with really severe depression and refused to speak about it for such a long time. I think men are more inclined to take this approach when it comes to their own mental health, they try to ignore it or brush it under the carpet. Eventually I managed to persuade him to seek help via our GP who was wonderful. I would say this saved his life! It’s so important to talk.
Sadly, Dave and I have both lost friends to suicide, facing the devastation and heartbreak that comes with this loss can be all consuming. You ask yourself so many questions when a loved one takes their own life! It’s devastating.
Going through so much at a young age gave me a whole new perspective on life.
I was lucky enough to develop a fantastic primary care team who helped me gain some stability with my health, which I am hugely grateful for. This gave me the opportunity to consider what I wanted to do with my life going forward. Giving my time to charity is now something so important to me and close to my heart. I am very passionate about giving back to those people who give up their time to support people like me in our hour of need. Charity work is so rewarding, I am now the one in a position to be able to support those facing difficult times. I also have a small but growing YouTube channel with Dave where we vlog daily life with chronic illness, the difficulties and challenges we face and also use that platform to educate others by raising awareness of the very misunderstood conditions I face.
In 2018 I began volunteering for a charity which supports those with one of my diagnosed conditions and was soon asked to become a Trustee for that charity.
In Autumn 2020, in the middle of the covid-19 pandemic, I decided to give more of my time to help those in need. I felt compelled to help others & support those who suffer in silence.