Pageants and charity work goes hand in hand, and here at Sparkles and Rhinestones we want to showcase the most amazing beauty queens that battle through illness every day and use their titles to raise awareness. This week we have Kayleigh- Miss Top Model of Lincolnshire to tell us about her battle with Lupus, and how she is using her title to show you can still be a beauty queen and battle through a health condition! Here is what she told Sparkles and Rhinestones:
"The reason why I entered Supermodel England because it's not just an amazing platform to represent your country internationally, but an oppertunity for me to build and create awareness of Lupus. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the body's a immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks normal, healthy tissue. In some cases this can be potential life threatening.
Growing up for me was hard because I suffered from unintentional weight loss, little did I know how serious this could of been for me. At the age of 14 I went to visit my GP for an routine injection, but when I got there I found out I couldn't have this because I hadn't hit puberty yet. I then started going for weekly blood tests which then turned into years. At the age of 17 I was fed up so I booked an appointment with my GP. I wasn't able to see my actual GP but spoke to another doctor who tried to convince me there was nothing wrong and it was all in my head. I showed the DR my hands and how I had a huge swelling in my thumb and said; please explain to me how this is normal?
They then took 1 look at me and said I will refer you to a rheumatologist. The appointment came and I remember the Rheumatologist taking one look at me and they knew almost instantly what this was. I was in the hospital for hours having a series of tests done and wasn't allowed to leave until my results came back. I went back in the see the Rheumatologist and he said; Kayleigh you have Lupus. I had never heard of this condition until my diagnosis. This was the reason I was so small and struggled to keep my weight on.
On the 2nd April I was crowned Top Model of Lincolnshire. This title means a great deal to me because I was diagnosed at Grantham Hopsital. Since entering pageants about a year ago it made me realise how little awareness is really out there.
I have the oppertunity to win 1 of 2 crowns: Top Model of England and World Supermodel England. Both these titles go international and it's my dream to represent my country. This is because I see myself being patriotic and I am thankful for what my country has done for me.
I also chose Supermodel England above all pageants because it more about the modelling side as well as pageantry.
Everyone has their own reasons for entering a system. I chose Supermodel England because they allow mothers to enter their system which to me is very important. I chose to be a young Mum because I know I will struggle more with Lupus as I get older. I want to be able to fulfil that full expectancy to my daughter. Pageants also great because they help you boost your confidence and prepare you for everyday life skills".
So what is Lupus?
Lupus is a systemic autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the body's healthy tissue. There are many kinds of lupus, but the most common and severe type is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which affects many internal organs in the body. SLE most often harms the heart, joints, skin, lungs, blood vessels, liver, kidneys, and nervous system. The course of the disease is unpredictable, with periods of illness (called flare-ups) alternating with remissions.
The causes are believed to be environmental, hormonal, or genetic. There is no cure for SLE. It is mainly treated with medicines that suppress the immune system with the aim of keeping symptoms under control. SLE can be fatal, but life expectancy has improved over the decades. Over 90% now survive for more than ten years, many live relatively asymptomatically, and 80-90% can expect to live a normal lifespan.
You can find out more about the condition at: https://www.lupusuk.org.uk/
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