Tuesday 22 March 2011

Katie Piper: my beautiful friends on channel 4


One of the most inspiring people I have certainly ever corresponded with will be on channel 4 tonight in a programme bringing issues of disfigurement to the fore.

Regular readers will remember that Katie Piper was the woman attacked by two of Shepherd's Bush's worst criminals. Daniel Lynch, from Becklow Gardens, was Katie's boyfriend until he raped her. And then conspired with Stefan Sylvestre to have a cup of acid thrown in her face as she walked home one day.

I first started reporting this story back in May 2009 and since that time she has been an inspiration - going from effectively having to live inside a plastic bag to presenting the channel 4 alternative christmas message one year and then establishing her own charity. In that time people posting on this blog have been from around the UK and the world, thanking her for the example she has set and describing how the use of acid against women is a problem throughout the world. I certainly had no idea it was so widespread - but it is.

In recent months I have been corresponding with her on and off and I suspect she will read this post as well.

So as she climbs yet another peak by launching this series on national television, taking what hapenned to her, what she has done about that and turning it into a beacon of strength for others with various forms of disfigurement I think I can speak for everyone by saying, simply, thank-you. And good luck, Katie.

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