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Media appearances

It all started a few years ago now in 2006. I didn't think for one minute that i would be sat here writing my own website for the whole world to view, but i am.

Following the fundraising for PSF UK, i contacted my local newspaper who ran with the story.   Shortly after I received a visit from a press agency and my story was sold to various newspapers and magazines.

Here are a few examples of some of my earliest press releases.

The Daily Mail

Sun Article

I was offered an appearance on the UK live chat show called This Morning. This was always a dream of mine when all the media interest started. So in September 2006 i went down to london. It was a great experience and Phil and Fern are just as nice off screen as they are on.

28TH SEPTEMBER 2006

  • German TV want to do a news piece on me. Blimey Germany, hope it's not one of THOSE! TV channels! lol So am waiting for details of filming dates and schedules.
  • I filmed for my German debut on 27th of October 2006 and  it was aired later that month as well as twice in December, 2006. 
  • They filmed me doing things around my flat, driving my car, having lunch with friends. Plus they interviewed Sue my friend about what it is like going out and about with me and does my disability restrict us from doing things that you may do with your friends.

2ND OCTOBER 2006:

i was interviewed by Nick Ferrari on his morning breakfast show on LBC Radio 97.3 fm. So hopefully again more awareness has been raised for the cause and people maybe willing to help with any fundraising in the future. See link: LBC radio 97.3fm

JEREMY KYLE SHOW

I was asked to go on the Jeremy Kyle show, on a show entitled Inspirational Women. This was quite an experience, but a positive one, everyone was very friendly and helpful in ways that i didn't expect them to be. Jeremy himself was friendly and did make me feel at ease. The interview was quite short and covered things about my life, peoples reactions, and being so positive about life.

On Easter Monday the Jeremy Kyle show was aired. From this i got so many positive reactions from total strangers, people who emailed me saying how amazing, brave and beautiful i was. I can tell you something, it doesnt half give a girl confidence.

Pick Me Up Magazine

I have been asked if I will do a follow up article for this magazine, after they received such good response in last years publication.  So this time they are looking at the people who write to me and how good it feels getting such support from some of the general public.  This issue will be out on the 28th of March, 2007.

AUSTRIAN TV

Over the last week (February 12 – 20, 2007) I have been in touch with an Austrian TV company who want me to travel to Vienna to take part in their TV show to discuss my condition and how I live with it.  The company have been very generous as I can stay in Vienna for 5 days and take in some of the sights, whilst staying in the Hilton, a 5 star hotel. For thise of you eho are interested in the accessibility of my trip to Austria then please see my section on accessible holidays.

Me with Brig from the production company

SUNDAY MIRROR

Sunday April 29th i was in the Sunday Mirror, an excellent article, thoughtful, informative and well written, Again hopefully shall raise more awareness for the condition. Please see link to read the full article: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sunday-mirror/2007/04/29/exclusive--life-with-11st-legs-98487-18983186/

Not long after this the Sky documentary was to be aired on the Discovery Channel. Yet, before that there was a media frenzy, where i did the following: Radio Lancashire, Rock FM (a local Lancashire station) Lancashire Evening Telegraph newspaper and BBC News Northwest. See link to News Northwest here: Northwest tonight  

See this following link for the Sky documentary: Sky Discovery docu

Following the documentary there was such an amazing reaction from people. It as now been shown in the UK, Europe, Austrialia, Canada and the USA. So many people have got in touch all very positive and i have made some friends and got back in touch with old friends.

In October 2007 I had talks with a production company in Manchester and it now looks like i will be filming over the next few months for Channel 5 and their popular series 'Extraodinary People.' So i'll coming to a screen near you in 2008!

Just before the Channel Five's Exraordinary people series was to be aired i featured in the newspaper the Daily Mirror, please see this link for the full article: http://www.mirror.co.uk/life-style/2008/08/14/doctors-don-t-know-why-my-legs-are-getting-bigger-115875-20697469/

Plus again i got to fulfill my dream and go into this morning again. This time Phil and Fern were on holiday so i was interviewed by Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford. Please see this link for the full interview: http://www.itv.com/Lifestyle/ThisMorning/Health/MandySellars123/default.html

Channel 5's Extraordinary People series.

The whole filming for this prgramme was over a few months. It has been hard at times with long days and physcially draining for me, yet at other times i have learnt things, got to meet people i would have never have met.

I finally got to meet Gwen who is someone else who lives with PS. We got on really well and it was pretty surreal that a lot of our health problems have been very similar over the years. Gwen has already had amputation of one of her legs and this has improved her life beyond words. Will mine be the same?

 

i also got to meet with a leading surgeon and a prosthetic team in Oklahoma. I wont give too much away as the program will highlight everything that happened on the trip. But, lets just say it was an amazing experience to meet someone like Kevin Carroll who is so positive about life and helping people whatever the difficulties maybe.

So despite the 12 hour days and all the travelling around the UK and the USA and feeling not so good once i had arrived home from Chicago, the documentary was worth taking part in for the interesting outcome. See this link for the documentary, unfortunately it will only work in the UK: http://demand.five.tv/Episode.aspx?episodeBaseName=C5137920001

For more info on my trip to the USA with photos then please see my section entitled:

Since this Extraordinary People programme was aired i have been on a programme in the USA, on ABC entitled Medical Mysteries. This was filmed in April 2008 and was aired in September 2008.

As for the latest news. I did a small piece to camera for an American programme called Inside Edition. This was aired back in November in the USA and was received very well.

http://insideedition.com/news.aspx?storyID=2376

Media appearances
Thanks for looking!