Health story to sell? Selling your health story to a magazine or newspaper is a great way to raise awareness and earn some money yourself. To find out if we can sell your health story, fill in the quick form to the right.
Read on to see others who’ve recently sold their health stories to the press…
My neighbour breastfeeds my baby!
Nikki Kamminga came to Featureworld with her health story to talk about the novel way she’d found to ensure her baby had breastmilk.
Having had difficulty feeding her first child, Nikki was determined not to let the same thing happen with her second.
So she put out a request on social media for mums to donate breastmilk and by the time she had given birth she had built up her own breast milk bank in her kitchen freezer!
At the same time two friends stepped forward to pop in and give Nikki’s son top-up breastfeeds. And Nikki also managed to feed him herself. No wonder he was such a happy and contented baby…
Routine Screening test ruined enjoyment of my pregnancies… story in the Daily Mail.
Mum Marlen von Roth wanted publicity for a health story about screening for Down’s Syndrome during pregnancy.
Marlen had routine blood tests, offered to all pregnant women, which showed she had a higher risk of having a baby with Down’s. Because of this she was offered a CVS test, where a sample of the placenta is analysed. However, this test carries the risk of miscarriage.
Marlen decided she could not risk miscarrying her unborn baby but felt pressurised by doctors to go ahead with the CVS test. After refusing it, she spent her pregnancy very worried. The same thing happened with her second child. Both babies were born healthy and with her third, she declined the test completely.
She wanted to raise this issue to warn other parents that routine tests can cause anxiety when there is nothing wrong.
Marlen’s story appeared in the Daily Mail and on MailOnline where there was a healthy debate over health screening.
Our sterilisation nightmares… health story in The Daily Mail
“Can you sell my story and raise awareness of the problems of sterilisation?’ Mum of two Maureen Thomas wanted to gain national press publicity of a little-known syndrome called Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome.
The syndrome affects women sometimes many years after they’ve been sterilised and Maureen, who’d suffered from it for years, had found it difficult to gain a proper diagnosis.
However, Featureworld managed to gain Maureen and other women who’d gone through the same nightmare, coverage over two pages of the Daily Mail.
Maureen says: “Until I came to Featureworld there was very little about this painful condition written, even on the internet. I hope the article in the Daily Mail has been informative not only for women but doctors too.”
My amazing Humpty Dumpty baby… health story in The Sun newspaper…
First-time mum Samantha Tomlinson knew there was something wrong about the shape of her son Kaiden’s head.
Kaiden with mum Samantha in The Sun
Midwives and health visitors told her not to worry but when she took Kaiden for a routine check at the doctor’s, her mother’s instinct proved correct.
Kaiden was diagnosed with a rare condition where the skull fuses too early and squashes the brain. Luckily it was caught in time and doctors were able to carry out surgery. Just like Humpty Dumpty, doctors cracked his skull – and literally put it back together again.
Samantha says: This wasn’t just about selling a story – I wanted to reassure any other parents facing the same nightmare that their child would be ok.”
Consultant who is our health hero! Story in the Daily Mail…
After spending £80,000 on trying to have a baby – and having a series of devastating miscarriages – Tony and Julia Rees were finally referred to Fetal Consultant Bryan Beattie.
And now they credit him with helping them to finally have healthy little girl, Ruby.
Tony and Julia nominated Bryan for a health award being run in the Daily Mail and their amazing medical miracle story appeared in the Femail section of the newspaper.
The UK’s first person to donate part of their liver to a stranger… story in The Daily Mirror…
When Daniel Broadhead decided to donate part of his liver to a stranger, his mum Karen was horrified.
But despite the risks to his own health, Daniel’s amazing gift has saved the life of a 4 year-old boy and he has no regrets.
Daniel’s amazing health story appeared in the DAILY MIRROR and he and his mum also went on ITV DAYBREAK.
Daniel, whose story makes medical history, appeared on ITV Daybreak with doctor, Hilary Jones, who described what he has done as truly remarkable.
Daniel’s story was also picked up worldwide and appeared on the BBC news.
My PIP implants could poison me … story in The Sun newspaper…
Jenny Avery wanted to sell her story to help raise awareness of the scandal of PIP implants – which were fraudulently filled with a silicone designed for mattresses.
Jenny appeared in The Sun’s health pages following the news that legislation over cosmetic surgery was being introducing to stop such a scandal happening again.
The mum spoke about how she has already spent £8000 on her implants – £4000 originally and a further £4000 correcting one – and cannot afford another £4000 to have her PIP implants removed, despite the danger of them rupturing and poisoning her at any moment…
If you want to raise awareness of a health issue – or you have found yourself at the centre of a terrifying health scare and want to sell your story, contact us on the form to the right of this page.
Why I’m giving my daughter gastric surgery for her 18th birthday…
Mum of two Anna Furniss lost 19st after having a gastric weight loss operation. The surgery changed Anna’s life. For the first time ever she was able to go abroad in a plane with her family, shop for fashionable clothes on the High St and of course her health has improved tremendously.
This is why Anna now wants eldest daughter Emily,17, to have the same op. Emily is already obese and Anna wants her to enjoy a life of being slim as she has. She believes it’s better for Emily to have the surgery while she is young, rather than go through a lifetime of diets that don’t work.
However, Anna will have to pay privately for the surgery as Emily is not big enough to qualify for it on the NHS. We sold Anna’s story to CLOSER magazine and it has since appeared in THE SUN newspaper.
Anna says: “We were very happy with our story in Closer magazine and the Sun and also with our fees, which will go towards paying for Emily’s surgery for her 18th birthday present.”
Why did my little girl have such frightening tantrums?
Jenna Clare’s little girl Elise might look like an angel – but she has suffered from terrible tantrums. And in fact things got so bad that at age 14 months Elise was expelled from her nursery for biting other children.
It was a long slog but at the age of six, Elise was finally diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). She is now on medication and the family’s life has been transformed – as has Elise’s life. Now she is a happy little girl who enjoys horse riding and is able to concentrate at school – all things that were impossible before.
We placed Jenna’s story with ITV THIS MORNING as they were doing a special programme on this subject.
Jenna says: “I was delighted to get this story out there and I hope telling my experience has helped others.”
This story has now been placed with the health section of a national newspaper.
Jenna on ITV This Morning
Is Helen the lightest person in the UK to have a gastric band?
Helen Morgan weighed just over 14 stones when she decided to have a gastric band fitted privately.
She had tried other diets but found them impossible to stick to.
Things were great for a few years but then last year Helen almost died. Doctors discovered her gastric band had developed a hole. Luckily they’d managed to remove it – and part of her stomach – because it almost killed her.
Despite this, Helen says if she begins to put on weight again – she now weighs around 111/2 st – she would have one fitted again.
Helen was delighted with the deal we gained for her and her rollercoaster journey of a story appeared in CLOSER magazine.
Do you have a health story to sell to a newspaper or magazine?
Fruitarian Star Kechara appeared in the health section of THE SUNnewspaper to talk about how she lives in a diet of fruit alone. Star eats over 70 oranges, 60 bananas and 70 pears a week…
The holistic therapist claims she never feels hungry and also believes her raw food diet makes her look much younger than her age of 35.
Star says: “I was pleased to see my story in The Sun as I firmly believe since becoming a fruitarian I have more energy and feel better than ever.”
Do you have an unusual diet story to sell? If so we would love to hear about it for inclusion on a health page article.
Rebecca Adams’ story about how she almost died from the deadly pregnancy disease pre-eclampsia appeared in the health pages of the Sun newspaper.
When Rebecca collapsed when she was 34 weeks pregnant, her family called the paramedics. But the woman paramedic who turned up just said she had low blood sugar and recommended she had a Mars bar.
In fact, Rebecca was gravely ill with pre-eclampsia. Fortunately her family realised how bad she was and rushed her to hospital themselves.
Rebecca was told her baby was dead and her organs were shutting down but thankfully she and baby Bailey survived. The Sun wanted to raise awareness of this potentially deadly condition because, as in Rebecca’s case, it is sometimes missed by medical professionals.
Rebecca says: “I loved my story in the Sun – the photo was gorgeous – and I am pleased my story has helped raise awareness of pre-eclampsia.”
MY 33 – MILLION TO ONE TRIPLETS
Abby Drinkell thought she would never have children. She had suffered nine miscarriages and she also suffered an ectopic pregnancy so was left with only one fallopian tube.
However, she then discovered she suffered from a rare condition in pregnancy that causes a miscarriage – it can be cured by taking aspirin during pregnancy.
She then gave birth to two little boys. Incredibly, she then got pregnant with triplets – something her consultant had told her was a miracle as there is no history of multiple births in her family.
Abby’s amazing story was placed with the DAILY MIRROR newspaper. Her story was then placed with a women’s magazine. Abby said: “I hope telling my story to the press has given hope to others who imagine they might never have a family.”
Sam Laing loved to be brown and because she didn’t want white marks on her face, when she went on sunbeds, she never wore goggles.
It is a decision that might have cost Sam, 23, her eyesight, because she has now developed growths in her eyes caused by too much UVA light.
Sam’s story was sold to the Daily Mail first and then to Reveal magazine and ITV’s This Morning. Sam’s real life health story was even in demand by American TV – and attracted the attention of NBC News and theirToday programme.
Sam says: “I really wanted to sell my story to warn other sunbed users about the dangers of tanning using sunbeds so I was delighted with all the worldwide publicity Alison gained for me.”
Sam’s Story Appeared in the Daily Mail
We thought we were a family of eccentrics – now we realise we all have Aspergers…
Mum Jayne Chesterman and her husband Malcolm never realised they had Aspergers until their two children were diagnosed.
Their story of how the whole family has Aspergers Syndrome – and they don’t let it affect their lives – was printed in the Good Health section of the Daily Mail.
They then went on to talk about the condition with ITV’s This Morning.
Jayne says: “As a family we feel by telling our story we have raised awareness of Aspergers.”
Doctors told me I was too young at the age of 26 to have breast cancer
Single mum Helen Bury’s world fell apart when at the age of just 26, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. To help her fight it, Helen kept a photo diary of her journey through the diagnosis, the treatment and eventually her wedding to her new fiancé, whom she met after her recovery.
Helen’s inspiring story was sold to the Daily Mirror, Pick Me Up magazine and Look magazine, where she appeared during Breast Cancer Awareness month to promote awareness of this illness.
Helen says: “Speaking out about my story took my mind off the treatment. I really hope that through selling these stories other breast cancer sufferers have been inspired to see that receiving such a devastating diagnosis can have a positive outcome.”
My daughter died from Chickenpox.
When Angie Bunce-Mason’s daughter, Elana, 3, contracted Chickenpox, she wasn’t worried as she thought it was a harmless childhood illness. She was even pleased that Elana had got the disease ‘over and done with’ when she was young.
But, as the days passed, Elana’s condition worsened and within a week of going down with the infection, she was dead.
Angie and her husband, Adam, wanted to tell their story to help campaign for parents to be aware that a vaccine does exist for Chickenpox – and to raise awareness that the symptoms can sometimes be life-threatening.
Elana was so full of life
Angie said: “We were pleased with such an accurate article that we also felt paid tribute to our beautiful daughter.”
My painkiller addiction has ruined my life…
Jo Palmer told of her addiction to painkillers>
When Jo Palmer contacted me in 2008 about her painkiller addiction, I was saddened that she took up to 70 tablets a day.
Jo wanted to raise awareness of just how some painkillers that are sold over the counter can be so dangerous.
To date Jo’s story has appeared in The Daily Mirror, Daily Mail, Reveal magazine, Love it magazine and she has also been interviewed on ITV’s This Morning. Recently she took part in a BBC Horizon documentary.
I am pleased to say that since Jo first contacted me, she has not only married her long-term partner but has sought professional help and managed to reduce her addiction to the pills.
Jo says: “When I emailed Alison, never did I think she would sell my story to so many publications and broadcasters!”
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Rebecca Adams’ story about how she almost died from the deadly pregnancy disease pre-eclampsia appeared in the health pages of the Sun newspaper.
Abby Drinkell thought she would never have children. She had suffered nine miscarriages and she also suffered an ectopic pregnancy so was left with only one fallopian tube.
