"Hopeless" is the word mum-of-two Gemma Bailey used to describe herself after being diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2018.
The condition causes widespread pain and extreme tiredness, as well as a list of other symptoms, and the 37-year-old said she struggled to keep up with her two young boys, Ethan and Daniel. Everyday activities such as going for a walk or a trip to the park became a challenge for Gemma and she would often experience pain in her knees.
Gemma, from West Pelton, County Durham, said: "I had to keep stopping as I was out of breath or my knees were hurting and I turned to food even more, just to cope with how I was feeling. It genuinely made me feel quite hopeless."
