Supporting Helen's next battle

Hi my name is Claire and I'm one of Helen's closest friends, On Saturday 24th May Hels was admitted to Taunton Hospital because sadly she had picked up another infection. Helen bravely had a stem-cell transplant in March 2024 as a last line of treatment to try and rid her of leukaemia! Helen was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia in July 2022, she is an absolute warrior and just carried on despite the treatments making her sometimes physically sick. You will never gain more admiration for someone working out with her clients in the gym but also silently battling the constant body pain, nausea, and chronic tiredness the treatment was giving her! Being with her you would not have known this was her continuous silent battle.

Helen is a force to be reckoned with and has always put everyone else before herself! So you can imagine how soul-destroying it has been for her friends and family to see up close what she has had to battle with.

In March 2024 Helen relocated to Bristol for 6 months to face the stem-cell transplant meaning she had to give up her career, and time with her beautiful daughter and do this knowing she would not see her close friends and family until her health would allow this.

When I say she is the bravest person I know please don't take this likely, rather than wallow in self-pity she made it her mission to spread positive messages using her social media platform so she could create a community, raise awareness and spread cheer and love daily.

She battled each day and refused to be told she could not exercise "her one true love" but whilst ensuring she kept her health in check she continued to inspire everyone around her to do the same! Most of the time complete strangers.

After the Transplant we all honestly thought Helen had finally got her break and could return back to a life she was planning on making the best yet!

But the fallout from the transplant that only affects a few transplant patients is something called Graft vs Host disease. Some patients get this mildly in one or two places. Helen however always the achiever got this pretty much everywhere and fiercely!

First, in her Liver which caused so many issues for her, I can't list them all, then in her eyes, mouth, Lungs, and skin to name a few!

In classic Helen style, she just battled on! Even though some days she was unable to eat due to the pain and inflammation caused by the GVHD.

She just continued to spread her message towards looking after your health and how important it is to move your body!

She has a smile that is infectious and even on the days she would be so ill from everything you would always be greeted with it. She encouraged NHS staff to exercise with her and went back to work so she could support her clients as quickly as possible.

She opened a fitness studio to support others who also are immunocompromised, disabled or suffering from a chronic or mental illness! So that they could exercise safely, without judgment and just feel the benefits...

We think she is a hero!

But throughout 2024 and 2025 Helen has frequently had to battle sickness meaning she has had a long stay in hospital, even more time away from Poppy and her work.

Helen is Self-employed, she does not get sick leave or sick pay.

Since her last hospital stay where her lungs pretty much gave in she got back to her work as soon as she could because she loves it so much but from no fault of her own quickly became unwell again and is currently facing an even longer stay in hospital.

She has had to suffer nerve damage pain that has been excruciating and awful to watch, yet she still sends out daily messages of positivity to us all!

She is currently in quarantine in a small hospital room unable to leave it and unable to see anyone but a few people and staff. She is away from Home, Poppy and Elton the puppy. She absolutely cannot exercise or move at all really!

Helen is giving such support to the community she has created and the platform it's built around we as her friends thought we wanted to find a way to give back!

Her family and friends are being asked if there is anything anyone can do to support Helen, Look after Poppy, send flowers or a gift!

So we have set up this page so you can do exactly that! We believe once Helen wins this fight and she will! Wouldn't it be nice for her to have a treat or to be able to take Poppy away... Anything that can make this whole ordeal and journey better for her.

Helen has never been good at asking or receiving any help so we decided we would do it for her! So we have set up this page for anyone who wants to send a small donation (instead of gifts and flowers etc) Any money raised will support Helen through any more hospital admissions, or recovery and could help her financially until she can return to work.

From Helen herself and her family, we would like to thank every single person who has sent any well wishes, prayers and support to her!

We don't think this journey is over for her and she still has a long road ahead so we appreciate your ongoing support, love and wishes during this very difficult time.

Thank you for any donation, we will keep you all updated,

(Well let's face it, Helen probably will!)