Sophie takes it to the limit
POSING in a bikini or showing off her toned abs at the gym, Sophie Holmes’ selfies look like those of any carefree girl.
But the pictures posted on Instagram are designed to i nspire hope, not jealously.
The personal trainer and fitness model from Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, was born ten weeks premature with genetic condition cystic fibrosis. Her parents were told she might not live past her teens.
Now 26, Sophie has made it her mission to smash the stereotypes by pushing her body to the limit, climbing Kilimanjaro two years ago and completing the 100km Race to the Stones challenge in July.
This is despite needing to take inhaled medications 30 times a day and another 50 tablets to digest food.
Sophie, an ambassador for Jeans for Genes, says: “I’ve dedicated my life to proving that prediction wrong.
“I thrive off physical challenges, especially ones that are mentally challenging.
“I probably shouldn’t be here and I shouldn’t be able to do these things, but I want to motivate everyone to push themselves out of their comfort zone.
“My doctors think I’m nuts but they also find my attitude refreshing. Some people with CF feel there is no point in trying.”
One in 25 of us carry the faulty gene that causes cystic fibrosis, an incurable and life- limiting condition where the movement of salt and water in and out of cells is hindered.d.
Sufferers expee rience a build-up of thick sticky ky mucus in the lungs,ngs, digestive system and other organs.
This increaseses the risk of lung infectionsfections and stops the enzymes needed to digest gest food from working.
Each case is different and Sophie hadd reasonably good health growing up – her first hospital stay was at 19.
She says: “I needed daily treatments s but did all the things myy friends did. I loved sport port and sprinted for county.unty.
“But being in hospital made me realise my condition was more serious that I’d appreciated. “I decided to use it in a positive way to push me. I drew up a bucket list and committed myself to being as fit and healthy as possible.” Sophie also began a blog about her efforts, to inspire other sufferers. She says: “The unfortunate thing about cystic fibrosis is you can’t meet other people with it because of the risk of cross-contamination of lung infections. “But blogging and social media meant I could reach them and encourage them to be positive and look after themselves.” Sophie has nearly 19,000 Instagram followers from all walks of life. They sent touching messages of support when she was recently hospi hospitalised for only the second time, t to treat a bug. But despite needi needing two weeks p of i ntravenous antibiotics, Sophie trainedtra on the ward each day for the SaharaSah Desert 100km race next year. She says: “I “It takes a huge effort. I need to eat at least 3,000 calories a day to maintain my weight,weigh and sweating depletes CF s sufferers of salt very quickly. B But my attitude is, I could wa walk out and be hit by a bus. I have to live my life as fu fully as I can.”
JEANS for G Genes Day 2017 is on Friday,Frida September 22. Sign up for a fundraising pack at jeansforg jeansforgenesday.org.
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