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Donate online now
Please donate by going to the website www.nos.org.uk or by calling 01761 473137. Or if you’d like to post a donation, please make your cheque payable to the ‘National Osteoporosis Society’ and send it to the ‘National Osteoporosis Society’, Camerton, Bath, BA2 0PJ.
National Osteoporosis Society -
Craig Revel Horwood
As a dancer and choreographer I appreciate more than most how important it is that our bodies are strong and supple.
Bones are the framework from which all this hinges and I am working with the National Osteoporosis Society to raise awareness about bone health because everyone needs to know that there are things that we can do to help prevent or reduce this life-shattering condition. The first 30 years of our life are crucial for building strong bones and from then on what we do in terms of exercise, diet and lifestyle can make a major impact.
I’ve watched my own mum suffer from poor bone health and I know that the pain can be intolerable and the impact on quality of life immeasurable. The National Osteoporosis Society not only helps people with osteoporosis and fragile bones now, but is committed to making people stronger for generations to come, and that’s hugely important to me. -
National Osteoporosis Society
In the UK, one in two women and one in five men over 50 will break a bone, mainly due to poor bone health. But broken bones are not an inevitable part of ageing, and much can be done to prevent them and the pain and loss of independence they cause. The National Osteoporosis Society is here for people living with fragile bones, making sure they have the support they need and providing vital information to help strengthen bones and prevent fractures.
Yet people are still missing out on the basic support they need to prevent unnecessary pain and disability. The National Osteoporosis Society helps people throughout the UK; our nurse-led helpline is a lifeline for those needing information and emotional support, we hold sessions for newly-diagnosed people through our support group network, we raise awareness of the condition in the healthcare profession and we work to drive improvements in diagnosis and care.
Our BBC Lifeline Appeal illustrates just some of the National Osteoporosis Society’s life-changing work and introduces you to several truly inspirational people who continue to benefit from our support.
With your help we can build a brighter future for the three million people across the UK living with osteoporosis and help ensure a breakfree future for the generations to come.
Thank you for supporting us today. -
Nicki
Nicki is a 44 year-old mother of four. She was diagnosed with severe osteoporosis at just 39 years old.
Nicki had always had a very active lifestyle. However, 5 years ago, while lifting her baby daughter Livvi out of her cot, Nicki felt her backbone crack. It was so loud that it woke up her husband. She was unable to move and in unbearable pain. A subsequent x-ray revealed she had seven fractures in her spine, which had caused it to collapse. Nicki had a bone density scan and was diagnosed with osteoporosis.
Nicki’s lifestyle changed dramatically and she now uses a stick to walk. She said, “you feel a sense of a loss, I think, because you’ve lost all the things you used to be able to do.” Nicki is unable to run around the park with her little girl Livvi who is now 5 years old. “I find that really, really tough," she said.
The National Osteoporosis Society gave Nicki advice to manage her condition. They put her in touch with a support network of other sufferers so she can learn how to prevent further fractures and enjoy life with her family. -
Bob
53 year old Bob has severe osteoporosis and was diagnosed with the disease 10 years ago. Whilst dancing with his wife on holiday, Bob suddenly felt an excruciating pain in his back. “It was like somebody had hit me with a sledge hammer,” he said. Bob was taken to hospital and scans showed that one of his vertebra was almost completely missing. When he was diagnosed with osteoporosis, doctors told Bob that at the age of 43, he had bones like an 80 year old man.
Bob had to give up work, and became clinically depressed. He said, “My world just became so small. I literally lost my status in life. I had nothing to talk about anymore.” He feared he would lose his mobility and be unable to walk his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day.
The charity gave Bob emotional support so he felt less isolated with the disease. He said that he felt they understood what he was going through, “I just felt like I knew I had a crutch there, someone I could rely on. They were brilliant, they really were." Bob now feels he can look forward to the future. -
Behind the Scenes
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Craig and crew
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Craig looking like a movie star
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Craig smiling into the mirror
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Filming a DEXA scan at Ipswich Hospital
Credits
- Presenter
- Craig Revel Horwood
- Producer
- Gavin Ahern
- Executive Producer
- Gary Hunter
