TV Doctor Helps Annette Face Disease

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TV DOCTOR HELPS ANNETTE FACE DISEASE

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A City businesswoman has discovered she is likely to develop a rare

hereditary disease - by taking part in a TV show.

It was Dr Jonty Heaversedge from the BBC series Street Doctors who

gave Annette the news when the programme visited Bath.

Annette, a partner at Bath Aqua Glass, told the TV medic that her

mother and uncle had Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

And after checking her reflexes, he told her she had some symptoms.

He advised her to contact her GP, saying that the disease could

develop.

" He was very good at his explanations, " she said.

" He said it was like an electrical cable with all the bits inside

being my nervous system. It's the cable inside that disintegrates.

" I'm doing lots of exercise now and hope to keep it at bay. "

The neurological disease causes muscles in the lower legs, feet,

hands and forearms to waste.

Annette, 49, got the chance to meet the Street Doctors when its

production team dropped into her firm in Walcot Street and asked if

anyone had any health concerns.

After wondering for years if she had inherited the disease, she

decided to confront the issue once and for all.

She added the news had been easier to deal with because of the

bedside manner of the medic - known as Dr Jonty.

" He's really handsome and really kind. I kept thinking 'I'm being

examined by a handsome young man' - that took away the horribleness. "

Annette believes her appearance is scheduled for the next episode

and has told all her family to switch on and watch it.

" I'm quite positive about it being on TV, " she said.

" All my cousins need to know as it's a hereditary thing. It's

something the family needs to face up to. "

She added that although it was hereditary, it was not always passed

on through a family, and said she hoped her daughter Angelique, 30,

and son Dominic, 22, were not affected.

The show is on BBC1 at 7.30pm on Mondays.