Julia Flaherty is up for the Prince's Trust Mentor of the Year prize

Source: The Free Press

Date: February 12, 2019

Author: Arron Evans

URL:
https://www.denbighshirefreepress.c...r-the-princes-trust-mentor-of-the-year-prize/

Ref:
https://www.itv.com/goodmorningbritain/news/the-princes-trust-mentor-of-the-year-award

Julia Flaherty, 40, is up for the Prince's Trust Mentor of the Year prize
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A woman from Denbighshire has battled through her physical and mental illnesses to become the only person from Wales to be nominated for a prestigious ITV award. Julia Flaherty from St. Asaph is up for Good Morning Britain's Prince's Trust Mentor of the Year prize. The 40-year-old is a volunteer mentor who has been supporting young people in North Wales with their businesses and personal lives for the past five years. Julia had previously travelled to as many as 30 countries worldwide, teaching English as a second language before she became ill and had to return home.

Despite her ongoing struggles with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), she says she is still keen to help others. 'For me, I felt my life was completely destroyed by both physical and mental illness and I doubted I would ever have a normal life again,' she said. 'A very kind professional occupational therapist worked with me for a long time and thought it would be good if I tried small challenges. Eventually, he encouraged me to try some volunteering.

It is a condition that fluctuates, so there are some days where I can get out for an hour and meet a young person in the library and I listen and give suggestions or advice. Then it may take me a few days of complete rest to recover.'

The young people Julia mentors through The Prince's Trust have nominated her for the Good Morning Britain award and she has now made the final four - an official announcement for which was made by Dame Helen Mirren on the show.

(...)

For further information on how to vote for Julia, visit:

https://www.itv.com/goodmorningbritain/news/the-princes-trust-mentor-of-the-year-award).

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(c) 2019 Newsquest

 

I don't know what this is about beyond the details above but it gives me some concern.

I really don't quite know how to say what I want here. They've already co-opted this illness once. Making ME a very popular well known cause celebre and taking back control all the while in the background ensuring that ME continues to be diluted to chronic fatigue (but a really really serious illness).

Maybe this is nothing like that . . . but I do not trust the UK establishment generally as regards ME.