A mum has been diagnosed with an incurable condition after being told by doctors she probably needed "a good night's sleep" when she complained about chronic pain.
Diana Olijar, 32, suffered symptoms for six years before getting the devastating news that she has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) in 2018.
EDS is a catch-all term for a group of rare disorders that affect the body's connective tissue and cause chronic pain.
Diana, a flight attendant for Thomas Cook and a proud single mum, has since been forced to abandon her career and desperately needs spinal surgery.
Sadly, the treatment she requires is not available on the NHS and will cost thousands to fund.
The former model, who lives with her 13-year-old daughter, told Manchester Evening News : "I live in constant pain and as a result I have no quality of life.
"I have not able to work for more than three years now - losing that part of my life was very difficult.
"I have a daughter and as a mother I want to show her how to be independent and achieve things."
Diana's problems began in 2012 when her health first started to deteriorate, bringing on dizziness, migraines and neck pain.
For years she was told by doctors that the mostly likely cause was fatigue, and that she probably needed a 'good night's sleep'.
Yet her symptoms became more numerous and severe. Her vision and hearing began to deteriorate and her joints would dislocate at random.
"I think my condition had been brewing for years," she explains.
"I was mid-season in 2017 when it became clear that I couldn't enjoy the perks of my job.
"If we had a stop over in a beautiful place, I wasn't able to go sightseeing like everyone else.
"I was struggling with dizziness, pain and I would lose my balance.
"One day I collapsed in the bathroom and from then on I wasn't able to work."
Like most people with EDS, Diana had to wait many years for a diagnosis owing to a lack of understanding about the condition.
EDS is a multi-systemic condition affecting the skin, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, internal organs and bones.
Due to impact on her spinal conditions, Diana's neck cannot support the weight of her own head resulting in severe pain, headaches, blurred vision.
The instability of Diana's neck means she now has to wear a collar and use a wheelchair when she leaves the house.
The pain and dizziness is so severe that even everyday tasks like making a cup of tea are almost impossible.
Diana is hoping to have a spinal fusion carried out by a neurosurgeon in the UK and her sister has set up a GoFundMe to raise the money.
You can donate towards Dian's treatment here.
