ROYAL HARPIST’S M.E. TORMENT
‘I wondered if life would ever be the same’
F ORMER royal harpist Claire Jones thought her career was over when she was struck down with debilitating ME. Barely able even to get out of bed due to chronic fatigue and in constant pain, classical harpist Claire – who performed for the newlymarried Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at their April 2011 wedding reception – seriously wondered whether she would ever be able to play the harp again.
Now she’s not only back playing and looking forward to the release of a new album, but she’s also the proud mum of baby girl Cadi.
Claire, 31, from Pembrokeshire, who is married to composer Chris Marshall, gave birth to the 8lb 9oz baby on February 23 and already she is looking ahead to getting back to work – something she seriously thought might never happen.
She said: “Chris and I are overjoyed to welcome our lovely little girl into the world. I’m enjoying taking time out to just be mum right now but will be easing back to work in April with my International Harp School.
“A tour of the States in May means we’re going to need to get used to travelling with a harp and all the baby stuff pretty soon and I just don’t seem to have enough hands.”
News of Cadi’s birth is even more remarkable considering how difficult it’s been for Claire since she became ill back in 2013. She has now fully recovered but suffered very badly for a couple of years.
She said: “I’m fully recovered now but went through a very bad patch in 2013. I suffered quite a lot from headaches and migraines and had pain around my body, a bit like little electric shocks.
“I just put it down to hard work as I was travelling lots but things got progressively worse.
“Then in May of that year Chris had to take me to A&E as I felt so unwell. I had a seizure and passed out and then woke up surrounded by doctors.
“I was so poorly at that point he basically became my carer.
“I was bedbound, I couldn’t even feed myself and I honestly wondered if life would ever be the same again.”
Claire sought help for the condition, which causes symptoms affecting many body systems, from various practitioners including a chiropractor, a herbal medicine expert, and the Optimum Health Clinic in London where she is now a patron.
“We’re still campaigning to raise awareness and broaden the availability of treatment for ME/CFS sufferers.
“The condition affects at least 250,000 people in Britain today and most of those will end up ‘living with it’ rather than gaining access to effective, tailored treatment.
“I’m currently a rare statistic, back to living a full, energetic – and now more balanced – life. I want more people to have that possibility and that means raising money and campaigning to make suitable treatments more broadly available.”
Claire is now fighting fit and what better way to prove that than by being a mum? And she has recorded a new album, in partnership with Silva Screen and Clagia, which is a celebration of love.
“It’s about the love of my husband, family and friends and how it makes my life what it is, as does my love of music.
“It’s this love that kept me going in the really dark times of my illness and learning to love myself a little more was at the heart of my recovery from CFS/ME.
“So, it feels great to be creating an album of some of the world’s most romantic, love-inspired classical melodies.
“I released my first album with Classic FM two days before our wedding and now this new album will coincide with the birth of our baby.
“I’m very, very excited about it and terribly grateful. Three years ago I could never have imagined all this would be possible.”
As well as being in the throes of early motherhood with her first child Claire is also preparing for the harp school in April and then the tour to the USA – with little Cadi Haf Marshall-Jones in tow.