Chloe's story

"My confidence grew session after session and it was great having a chance to relax and talk to others who have had similar experiences."

Chloe
London

My name is Chloe Cupid and I was a participant in the Staying Positive Programme run by EPP (Expert Patients Programme). I am 18 years old and currently studying for my A-levels. I have a long term condition - scoliosis, a curvature of the spine which causes me back and shoulder pain quite frequently.

It is a course run for young people to help them self-manage their conditions. At first I had no idea what it was going to be like and expected it to be like school. I had only found out about the course through my mother, who also has a long-term condition and had taken part in an adult course with EPP. Once I had got to the workshop, everyone was very friendly and there was a laid-back atmosphere. It was very relaxed, especially as you can talk about your condition in confidence. As everyone in the workshop has a condition, including the tutors, you don’t feel alone and realise that you can be a ‘normal’ teenager, despite having a condition.  

My confidence grew session after session and it was great having a chance to relax and talk to others who have had similar experiences, and the activities at the end of the sessions were fantastic. I had a chance to try my hand at African drumming and T-shirt printing. We got great tips about how to gain better communication skills whether we need to speak to our doctor or teachers as they can be quite difficult to talk to.

All in all, the Staying Positive programme was a fantastic opportunity that I am so glad I was able to have. I hope that others just like me have the chance to go on the course, as it really does help a great deal. In fact, it was so helpful that I asked if I could become a volunteer facilitator. I have now completed my training and will soon be able to help others who were just like me and give them more confidence in themselves and help them to self-manage their condition.