FAMILY REVEAL THEIR HEARTACHE OVER YOUNG MUM
Alan Campbell On the pitch, Rhonda Jones was a fearsome defender, with 117 Scotland caps and a glittering career with some of the biggest clubs in women’s football.
But away from the glory of the international l sporting stage, her biggest battle was in GP P surgeries and psychiatrists’ offices wiping away ay tears as she fought for help for her little sister.
Gemma Jones, 29, who had severe mental al health problems, died suddenly in September, er, leaving behind two young children.
Rhonda and her family, from Newarthill, ill, Lanarkshire, believe Gemma was let down byy an NHS struggling to cope with patients with mental ntal health problems.
They hope that by revealing what they went through as a family, others won’t have to.
Rhonda, 38, who played for Rangers and Celtic women’s teams, said: “Gemma was misdiagnosed nosed over and over again. She was nine years younger unger than me. We were brought up the exact samee way in a loving, caring family.
“When she was 19, Gemma gave birth to daughter Aaliyah, with then boyfriend Gary. He died from mental health issues, taking his own life at the age of 27.
“Gemma kept a diary, and from it you could see he was the boy of her dreams and it always remained that way.
“She was so in love with him, but they broke up. He was still a good father to Aaliyah, but Gemma was heartbroken. They got back together three or four weeks before he passed away.
“I don’t think she ever recovered from Gary – either from when they split up or his passing.
“Her mental health deteriorated and that’s when the anti- depressants started.”
Rhonda’s voice falters when she talks about the family’s struggle to find help.
She said: “There were times when my sister was suicidal. She said she was hearing voices in her head telling her to be with Gary.
“She would say, ‘I’m living this every day and nobody is believing me.’”
Rhonda, who is now in the fire service but has worked in social care, spent years trying to find solutions for her sister.
She made a private appointment with a Glasgow
psychiatrist, psychiat which seemed to have brought the breakthrough. breakthr Rhonda Rhond said: “It was £250 for one hour – but Gemma finally fefelt listened to. “The ppsychiatrist said she’d dealt with many people llike this before and that Gemma had been misdiagnosed misdiag by the NHS since she was a teenager. “She said she had Emotional Instabi l ity Personality Person Disorder – also known as Borderline Personality Person Disorder. “TheThere were five criteria and Gemma fitted into all of tthem. “WWhen we heard this, we both burst out crying. We fefelt it was a massive weight off our shoulders.” The Th treatment recommended by the psychiatrist was Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). Rhonda Rh said: “It’s supposed to help retrain the brain brai and give you better coping mechanisms