Brave teen’s bid to be Miss Nuneaton

‘I WANT HER TO SHOW THAT NOTHING CAN STOP YOU’ SAYS HER MUM

A TEEN is hoping to prove that a lifelong condition which put her into a lifethreatening coma will not stop her – as she aims to represent her hometown in Miss England.

When she was just eleven, Natasha Bahia, from Nuneaton, was in a diabetic coma and her parents were told she may not survive.

Fast forward four years and the Stockingford teenager is bidding to become Miss Nuneaton for Miss England.

The North Warwickshire and Hinckley College student has type one diabetes but her mum, Mandy, was keen for her daughter to prove that the condition should not stop her achieving her dreams.

So the mum-of-three entered her for the competition: “She said to me ‘Mum I can’t do it’ and I said to her ‘What’s stopping you,’” she said

“I am really proud of her, she has got to do all different things as part of the competition and I want her to show people that she can lead a normal life and do normal things.”

Back when Natasha was eleven, she ended up in a diabetic coma.

“She was so ill,” added Mandy, who is also a grandmother.

“I remember I kept taking her to the GP and they kept saying she had a viral infection, I remember she kept getting really thirsty, she lost lots of weight, basically her organs were shutting down.”

But she pulled through the coma and now has to wear an insulin pump.

“Some people change what clothes they wear but I have told her she should be proud of it,” Mandy added.

“I want her show that diabetes doesn’t stop you from doing anything.”

The former Nuneaton Academy student is now hoping to drum up support as well as funds for the competition’s chosen charity, Coventry & Warwickshire MIND, in the run-up to the finals.

The final is being held at Bedworth Liberal Club on April 7.

Anyone who would like to support Natasha’s quest can visit https:// www.justgiving.com/fundraising/natasha-bahia