A new mum told how she got a devastating diagnosis just after giving birth to her son. Georgina Colman, 48, sought medical help when she began to suffer from headaches and double vision after having a baby.
Soon after, an MRI scan revealed a devastating discovery which would go on to change her life forever. The new mum was told by doctors that she had Multiple Sclerosis – commonly known as MS.
Georgina said that at the time it was “made to feel like a death sentence”. However she has since gone on to use her experience to help others with their own disabilities.
MS is a chronic autoimmune disease damaging the nerves in your brain and spinal cord. This means that the body’s immune system attacks the myelin, a protein that protects the nerves and often leads to muscle weakness, fatigue and problems with balance and coordination.
According to the ONS, there are 16.1 million people in the UK living with a disability. It is believed there are more than 150,000 people with MS.
Now, 20 years on from her own diagnosis, Georgina has launched an app to help others within the disabled community deal with the struggles that they face.
Georgina told how after giving birth in 2002, she began to experience headaches and problems with her eyesight which would later lead, in 2003, to Georgina being officially diagnosed with MS. Thirteen years later, she found herself relying on a wheelchair and walking sticks to get around.
But rather than becoming the “death sentence” she feared, Georgina says it was the start of an incredibly inspiring journey, that led her to create Purpl. She shared: “At times, it can be challenging living with MS, and it has changed my life, but many positives have come from it.
“I live a more stress-free life. I am healthier than I have ever been, and it inspired me to do something amazing—launching a business to help make a difference in the lives of other people living with a disability.”
Georgina told how she came up with the idea for Purpl when out shopping one day. She spotted a sign offering a student discount, which led her to wonder why there wasn’t a discount offered to those with a disability.
“Living with a disability is expensive, and costs can quickly add up,” Georgina explained. This thought, along with supported research from Scope, revealing that disabled households require an additional £1,010 a month, was what led her to create the UK’s first discount site for disabled people.
“Take me as an example,” Georgina said. “I spend money every month on therapies. I go to neuro-physiotherapy twice a month, which costs £120 an hour, as well as having sports massages, chiropractic appointments, and other alternative therapies.”
She went on to explain that she needs to have her heating on more as her body doesn’t function well in the cold, which inevitably costs her more money. As well as this, Georgina spends more on equipment like walking aids and assisted technologies, along with supplements and ‘free from’ foods.
She said: “These are not luxuries for me, they help reduce the inflammation and spasticity in my body, which keeps me able to move more and therefore improves my quality of life.”
Inspired by the term ‘purple pound,’ a phrase used to refer to the spending power of disabled households, Georgina created Purpl, which both helps champion disabled people but also offer financial support.
There are more than 250 brands on the site, which launched last year, including Poundland, Lookfantastic and Hoover offering those with disabilities a discount on their products. But Georgina says the site is about more than money-saving.
She said: “I don’t want Purpl to just be about discounts. I want it to be a platform where people can support charities, find advice, resources, and a sense of community.
“When you become disabled, there is no guide telling you what to do or how to fund your new life. I want Purpl to be the platform people come to when thinking about how to manage the extra costs of living with a disability.”
The site, @purpldiscounts, has amassed an online following of over 30k followers on TikTok, where she shares her own advice and guidance for disabled people. From receiving a diagnosis that saw her entire life change to turning her own struggles into a business that strives to help others, Georgina says she has created not only a money-saving tool for disabled people but also built them a supportive community.