JO WHILEY
JO WHILEY, 53, is a TV and radio broadcaster with a new evening show scheduled to begin on BBC Radio 2 in January. She has four children, two girls and two boys, and lives with her band manager husband, Steve Morton.
REMEMBER: THIS TOO SHALL PASS
I SUFFER from arthritis, particularly in my hands and shoulders. It runs in the family so I’m doing everything I can to slow down the process.
Swimming is a pretty safe way to keep the body supple although it does hurt my shoulders if I do a front crawl. But it’s always a mood-changing experience. I emerge from the water feeling more positive and capable, and able to deal with that difficult phone call or whatever it is.
I’m in my 50s and life has taught me not to sweat the small stuff. Arthritis apart, nothing bad lasts for ever. Things can seem catastrophic when you’re in the thick of some drama, but life has a way of sorting itself out.
My sister Frances was born with a rare chromosomal disorder called cri du chat syndrome. It means she has trouble communicating and is given to bursts of hyperactivity and sometimes aggression. She had a breakdown a couple of years ago and had to be sectioned under the Mental Health Act. It was a difficult time for the whole family. I felt as if we were living through a disaster movie.
I couldn’t see how there was ever going to be a happy ending. But Mum and Dad survived; I survived; and, most importantly, Frances survived. She’s now in a decent, secure home. It was very tough at the time but we all came out on the other side.
If they’re stressed about something, I always tell my kids that the world will look different in a day or a week. They may not believe it at that moment but, whatever the problem, they’ll find a way of dealing with it.
I’ve got a fair amount of experience under my belt and I know that people are much more resilient than they give themselves credit for. Things will hurt; there will be pain. But you’re almost certainly stronger than you think you are. You’ll get through it.
I like the expression ‘this too shall pass’. Life has shown me that that’s almost always true.
JO WHILEY has partnered with Seven Seas on its new JointCare Supplex & Turmeric supplement (seven-seas.com)