October 26, 2025 • 25 mins
What if the hardest news you’ve ever heard became the reason you chose to really live? We sat down with Kezia, a holistic therapist and mum, whose MS diagnosis pushed her from secrecy into radical honesty, community and a decision to pursue HSCT in Russia. Her story isn’t a highlight reel; it’s a practical map made of hospital corridors, fundraising calls, and small daily wins that add up to a bigger life.
Kezia takes us from early motherhood and “accidental” entry into holistic therapy to the decade she hid her illness behind a folded walking stick and a brave face. A blunt prognosis of a “wheelchair by Christmas” sparked a pivot: research, a global web of support and the courage to say yes to haematopoietic stem cell transplant. She opens up about the intense reality of high-dose chemo, the sterile rooms, the morning her hair fell out and the Russian nurse who answered with care instead of words. Back home, progress arrived in quiet milestones: bending a stubborn leg, feeling in her hands, walking with one stick. None of it erased MS; all of it expanded possibility though.
We dig into what actually sustains resilience: asking for help without apology, building routines that restore function, and protecting joy through deliberate adventure, like the skydive that began as a scheduling mix-up and became a training goal. Kezia’s book, Rose Tinted: My Story, captures the parts she once swore she’d never tell, and those pages continue to help others speak up, seek treatment and find their people. If you’re searching for real talk on MS, HSCT, chronic illness coping or even the mindset that turns fear into action, you’ll find it here; told with warmth, humour and zero "beating around the bush".
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:18):
Welcome to Beyond Organised, the podcast that helps you simplify your life and amplify your purpose. I'm Mel Schenker, life coach, speaker, founder of She's Organised, but, more importantly, a wife and mum of four little kids. If you've ever felt overwhelmed, like you're constantly juggling everything but never quite catching up, this is the place for you. Here we go beyond just the tidying up and creating systems. We're talking about real life strategies that bring order to your life, but also we talk about the things beyond the organising, the things that really matter, like your parenting relationships and so much more. So grab your coffee and let's dive in.
(00:59):
Welcome to another episode ofBeyond Organised.
I have Kezia here today.
Now I'm going to read out areally awesome bio for this
lovely lady.
You are probably going to bejust as amazed as I am as this
woman and all her achievements.
So today's guest grew up inCambridge and studied
(01:19):
contemporary theatre atDeMontford University.
A lifelong sports lover, herworld changed when she was
diagnosed with MS at just 25.
Determined not to let that stopher, she went on to complete an
NVQ in holistic therapies andnow runs her own holistic
therapy business from apurpose-built salon.
She's a proud mum of two.
(01:40):
Her son is married with a babyon the way.
And her tall, spirited13-year-old daughter keeps her
on her toes.
In 2019, she traveled to Moscowfor stem cell treatment to slow
the progression of her MS.
And coming home from thatexperience, she wrote her first
book, Rose Tinted My Story.
Since then, she's embraced lifewith a sense of adventure.
(02:03):
Skydiving, oh my gosh,parasailing by accident,
swimming in the ocean, andsaying yes to new experiences.
Her philosophy is simple adiagnosis isn't a full stop.
Life is for living, and a goodsense of humor is one of the
best tools we have.
I loved reading that about you,and I'm so excited to talk to
(02:26):
you today, Kezia.
Thank you for coming on theshow.
No, thank you for having me.
I'm really excited.
I have to just, before we getinto this, I have to ask, what
is the story behind theskydiving and parasailing by
accident?
Kezia (02:39):
Well, well, I'm not an adventure seeker.
I mean, I go along, things justseem to fall into my lap, if
I'm honest.
Um I'm not one that would say,yes, I want to do this, I want
to do that.
Um so I went for oxygen.
So I go to the LeicestershireMS Therapy Centre every week.
So I do physio there andjoining classes and have oxygen.
So I was coming out of oxygenum and I was rushing for the
(03:03):
school run.
And one of my friends said,Kesia, you'll jump out of an
aeroplane.
And I literally said, justcheck my diary, see what I'm
doing.
If I'm free, yeah, just stickme down.
But just check my diary andthen rushed off for the school
run.
And then on my return thefollowing week, uh, someone
went, Oh, you're you're doingthe uh tandem skydive.
(03:23):
And I went, sorry?
And they said, You saw meskydive.
And I said, Have I?
And I'm like, Yeah, yeah, youwere put down.
I was like, Oh my gosh, okay.
And they said, because ofinsurance purposes, you've got
MS, so we need uh doctors goahead.
And I was like, Oh my gosh.
But when I've agreed to dosomething, I do it.
Your mind is set.
(03:44):
And I was like, okay, okay.
And then obviously you have tohave training because your legs
have to be strong enough.
So that set about my trainingto get my legs strong enough to
skydive, um, which is one of thebest things.
Um but yeah, so I literallywrote took the insurance papers
to my doctor and said, Have Igot the go-ahead?
(04:07):
And then just rang every day,Hi, it's Kezia again.
Has anyone managed to sign thepaperwork?
Has anyone managed to sign thepaperwork?
And then my doctor did agree toit.
And there was, I think in theend there was about 10 of us
that did it.
And then you've gone.
I was the only MS one, Ibelieve.
Mel (04:27):
Uh because I got the head.
Wow, what incredible story.
Now, I have no doubt you'refull of incredible stories in
your journey and everythingyou've gone through.
And we have such a short periodof time.
So I'm going to be quiet andI'm gonna let you share your
story because I'm sure,especially other women out there
(04:48):
who possibly even going throughMS themselves, but any other
form of diagnosis that feelslike maybe even a death
sentence, I I would love you toshare your story and yeah, go
from there.
Kezia (05:00):
Yeah, well, it's I mean, I got diagnosed in 2007.
Um, and I was halfway throughmy holistic therapy training
because I was I was a young mum.
Um, I was looking after my son.
This I basically again got intoit by accident, so holistics by
accident.
I was mashing baby food and Iwas changing nappies, and I was
(05:23):
basically watching Night Gardenall day long.
And I think I'd just finishedmy university degree, I did
theatre, and I'd just finishedthat, and suddenly was a mum,
and I was like, I'd neverbabysat before, and suddenly I
had this little boy that wasrelying on me.
And I was like, I'm not meantto be, I've got polycystic
ovaries, I've got endometrious,so I didn't think I didn't think
(05:43):
it was gonna happen.
Yeah, very clessed this littleman relying on me.
And so I did all the baby foodmashing and watched Night Garden
and changed nappies, but I wasgoing a bit stir crazy because I
was quite young and I was like,what can I do to have some time
for myself?
Yeah, and I looked at the localcollege and they had an
accounting course where I couldget free childcare or holistic
(06:04):
therapy.
Now I'm not big on math, so Iwas like, I'm okay, I can get
by, but I was like, I'm notgonna do that.
But because there was freechildcare, I was like, right,
I'm going to do an NVQ inholistic therapies.
So I dropped him off at Creshand went and did my training,
and it was purely to get a bitof me time because being a mum
is wonderful, but it is thehardest job in the world.
Mel (06:27):
I hear you, I hear you loud and clear.
So does every other mum outthere.
Kezia (06:33):
It is literally the hardest job because it's 24
hours, you have no break.
Yeah, there's no sick pay,there's no yeah.
So it was literally, I ended updoing holistics just to get a
break from my son, and I justfell in love with it.
And I thought this is amazing.
And then halfway through mytraining, um, I started falling
over, and I was really healthy.
Do you know?
(06:53):
I was quite I did like also, Iwas at the gym, I did loads of I
was just super healthy.
Um and I just started fallingover, and you know, I went to
the doctors and said, What'swrong?
And they kept checking my earsand they were like, There's
nothing.
And then I got to the pointwhere I was being sick and I the
room was spinning, and I gotquite ill and they couldn't find
anything.
And in the end, I said, Right,I'm going down to A.
(07:15):
And I went and they checked meand said, I'm really sorry.
Uh, have you ever heard of MS?
And I was like, What?
And I was like, No, no, that'sthat's that's not right because
I'm healthy, it happens to oldpeople, you know, all these
people.
Yeah, not me.
It happens to everyone elseapart from me.
Yeah, and from them, I did theinjections, everything I was
(07:38):
told, I completed my holistics,but I hid my diagnosis, and I
hid it.
I think it was over a decadethat I hid it.
I did theatre, so I was verygood.
It was, I mean, I look now andI think that was so stupid.
And I was thinking, you know,when I start working, are
clients gonna think they mightcatch it from me?
Are they going to look at it?
(07:59):
It's now I think that istotally ridiculous.
Yeah, and then but I canunderstand that, yeah.
It's about fatigue as well.
And I thought, if I'm giving afull body massage, is someone
gonna think I'm not gonna bewell enough to do it?
Are they gonna make me ill?
So that's why rationale, butafter in hindsight, I realised I
just hadn't dealt with it, andI just thought if I put my
(08:22):
fingers in my ears and don'ttell anyone, it doesn't exist.
Yeah, bury my head in the sand,everything I do.
La la la la, everything isfine.
Yeah, so I literally hid it.
I think it was probably 11 anda half years or so, but it was
over a decade.
I hid it.
I had a fold-up stick, I had asalon built in the garden, so I
(08:42):
it's still there, my salon'sfabulous.
But I could get into the salonwith my stick, fold up the
stick, put it to the side, andpeople, you know, people are
it's really relaxing in there,and people not looking for
anything.
Yeah, so I hid it for so long,and then it was at a routine
neurology appointment, and thedoctor said, I'm really sorry,
(09:04):
there's nothing else the NHS cando for you.
You're you're going to be in awheelchair by Christmas.
And I went no, no, I don'tthink so.
I think you've made this,you're you're wrong.
And I and I just sort ofignored everything, and people
always tell you, you know, allyou need to do is eat more
cinnamon, all you need to do isspin on a Tuesday with a banana
in bed.
Everyone's got, everyone has acure.
(09:27):
Every theory under the sun.
I'd been to this meeting, andit was just by chance because
the kids were with their dad, soit was by chance again, and I
didn't have anything to do.
And I was thinking, what doadults do?
You know, when they don't havetheir children.
So I went along to thismeeting, and this lady ran
across the stage, and and shesaid she was in a wheelchair the
week, the week before, sorry,the year before, and she had MS.
(09:50):
And I was like, right.
And then people started,neurologists came up on the
screen and they were talkingabout statistics, and again, I'm
not happy with numbers, andthen like those numerous, and it
was all going over my head.
And then this little Russiandoctor came out and he went, We
are all family, we worktogether, the c the patients
(10:11):
look after each other, we'refamily from all over the world.
And I said, if I'm ever crazyenough to have this stem cell
transplant, I'm going to Russia.
So in the doctor's surgery,when the neurologist said, I'm
really sorry, there's nothingelse you can do.
And I said, Well, I'll have astem cell transplant.
And he was like, I'm reallysorry, you're too far gone.
And I was like, No, no, no, I'mnot.
(10:33):
I'm not going to Russia.
And he was like, Okay, okay,crazy lady.
And I was like, okay.
And then one of my friends saidto me, You need to tell people.
And I was like, What do youmean?
And she said, Make videos, showthem what you do every day.
And I was like, What, likecooking with the kids?
And she was like, No, the MSstuff.
(10:53):
And so I started doing YouTubevideos.
I think it's Kezia Kicks back.
Um, you can find them all overYouTube, and just sharing my
story.
And then I came out to theworld, and clients were like, I
thought you had cramp.
I thought you, you know, whenthey noticed things, because
they're like, How did you hideit?
And I said, if you were sodesperate to hide something, you
can.
(11:13):
Yeah, yeah.
Mel (11:15):
And they weren't looking, as you said before, you know,
they they weren't looking, soit's easy to to miss, I guess.
Kezia (11:22):
Yeah, I mean, I got to the point, it's really it makes
me sad now for my former selfbecause I literally started
retreating and I stopped goingout and I stopped going into
town, you know, because I wentfrom one stick to two sticks to
like barely being able to walk.
I mean, luckily I could stillgo to the salon, so that was
like my sanctuary.
Um but yeah, then I came out tothe world and fundraised, and I
(11:46):
had a just giving page, I hadmeals at restaurants, we had
pamper days, we had cinemascreening, I contacted so many
people, it was amazing, and wefundraised, and then I headed to
Russia in 2019 and had a stemcell transplant, which was
incredible.
I mean, luckily I made videosbecause I look back and it's
(12:09):
like a dream world now.
I mean, you have uhchemotherapy, but really high
dose of chemo, um, and theyharvest your stem cells.
So I had my neck slit a coupleof times and tubes put into my
into my spine to harvest my stemcells.
Oh.
And then they use it's acentrifuge and clean your
separate your stem cells, giveyou chemo.
(12:32):
Um I mean the chemo was prettyintense.
Um I mean, I imagine theycleaned my room constantly, and
the outside of my door wasbleached in case anyone opened
the door, um, because they getyou solo because it's your
immune system.
Mel (12:48):
Yeah, and so you've got no immune system left, so any germ
could kill you, essentially.
Kezia (12:54):
Yeah, exactly.
Wow, and then they reboosted myimmune system, um, and I was in
isolation in Russia.
I think I was only in for eightdays because they they test
you, they were incredible.
They tested me at every singlepoint, and the food, I don't
even know what I was eating atsome points because it was it
was like an orange blob withsome yellow custard looking
(13:16):
stuff, and I had no idea.
And I was thinking these peopleknow what they're doing, I'm
gonna just trust, you know, theyknow what they're doing.
Yeah, it was an incredibleexperience.
Um, and then yeah, came back toEngland.
I was in isolation here for awhile because obviously my
immune system I mean I lost allmy hair, and um yeah, so that
(13:40):
was the shocker, really, eventhough I knew it was gonna
happen.
I've got massive curly hair andI had it chopped as short as I
could, and then in Russia theyshaved it so it wasn't so scary.
Um but that was the scarypoint.
When I I literally woke up onemorning in Russia and they kept
telling me off because I neverpressed the emergency bell or
the calling bell.
You know, to get tea andcoffee, I'd just get it myself,
(14:00):
and they were like, You'rereally weak.
Please ask something.
I don't need to, I can do itmyself.
Yeah, I'm an independent woman.
Absolutely, yeah, exactly.
So I was very much like that.
But then I woke up one morningand I was covered in hair all
over my hands, my arms, my face,and I literally just burst into
tears because the thing is likeall so short, but I was just
(14:21):
like, what is going on?
And I pressed the buzzer forthe first and every time, I
believe.
And then this Russian nurse,she came in, she was fantastic.
She literally she nodded, andthen she just wiped down my
hairs, wiped my face, lifted meup, changed my bed, put a hair
cap on, gave me a cuddle, thenput me back in bed.
Oh my gosh.
(14:43):
But sometimes that's just whatyou need is someone to just come
in, clean you up, give you ahug.
No, you're never too old forthat, I don't think.
No, definitely not.
So yeah, that was the that wasthe biggie in Russia, but then I
came back here and and thenyeah, just started my physio.
And I mean, I couldn't bend myleft leg before I went to
(15:06):
Russia, and I came back here andI could suddenly bend my left
leg, I could feel my handsbetter, and it's all things.
See, yeah.
Yeah, so I'm walking one sticknow.
So that was what six years agonow.
Oh, 2019, yeah.
Yeah, that's six years ago.
Yeah, so that's crazy.
Mel (15:25):
I mean, it's a good thing you went in 2019 and didn't wait
till 2020.
Oh gosh.
Yeah, okay.
Your life could be incrediblydifferent now, just based off
that timing.
So wow, how fortunate.
Sometimes things have a way ofworking themselves out, don't
they?
Like you just really you don'trealize, but looking back on the
(15:48):
timing of things, you think,wow, like that timing uh is
pretty pivotal to actually youbeing able to still be able to
walk now.
Kezia (15:57):
You might not have been.
I dodged so many bulletsbecause Brexit happened just
after.
You know what I mean?
But I had money coming in fromItaly, from Japan, from Turkey.
I had money from all over theworld.
And if Brexit had happened,that wouldn't have happened.
Wow.
And then I got back and I cameout of isolation um on Halloween
(16:19):
actually.
Um, and then we went intolockdown because Leicester,
where I'm based, is was thefirst place to go into lockdown.
And so three months after COVIDhit, we went into lockdown, and
then after that was the Russianwar, and I managed to avoid all
of those things.
Wow, and also the neurologistin Russia, um, Dr.
(16:39):
Fedorenko said that my MS hasjust switched to the more um
aggressive state.
Mel (16:46):
Yeah.
Kezia (16:46):
Just just then.
So he'd managed to catch itjust before.
So I think I dodged fourbullets, and I'm so grateful and
so lucky.
Mel (16:56):
That oh, I've got goosebumps.
I've I've got goosebumps.
I've just like, that isincredible.
I mean, it's a hard blow, whatyou've been dealt in a lot of
ways, but I love how despite thechallenges and all that, you
are so grateful for life andwhat you have got and the
blessings that have sprung upbecause of it as well.
Kezia (17:21):
Like one of my best friends said, I'm glad you've
got MS.
You know what I mean?
I got diagnosed.
I was like, Oh, thanks.
And she said, if you didn't,we'd be sat in a pub talking
because of your MS.
We go parasailing, we're livingin hot air, we're doing
everything that people with MSor a disability shouldn't do.
And so I'm like forevergrateful for it because every
(17:45):
single day I'm excited.
What's the day gonna hold?
What can I do?
What how can I challengemyself?
And MS is one of the bestthings that happened to me,
which either makes me soundcrazy, but I don't mind.
I don't mind sounding a bitcrazy.
Mel (17:58):
You know, you're not the only person to speak like that.
I actually have had a number ofpeople that have come and gone
in my life, a few have passedaway now, but people that have
had diagnosis of some sort, butit's just made them live.
It's like, and some of them,you know, they've had the
diagnosis as long as you, youknow, it's a very long time, and
(18:21):
they have lived their life.
And when you think of it, theamount of people that I know
that are perfectly healthy andperfectly fine and they live
till a ripe old age, and theyhave all these regrets, all
these things they wish they didwhen they could, when they had
the ability to, when they wereyounger, when their kids were
(18:42):
little, now they've grown up,they moved out, they got like
all these things.
And I just think like, and I'mnot saying, I'm not saying that
anyone that's being diagnosedwith something tough like what
you've got is a good thing.
I'm not saying that, but I lovehow you can take something
that's bad and turn it intosomething good in the things you
(19:05):
can control because you can'tcontrol it all.
And the fact that you're going,you know what?
Yeah, it's a it's a rough cardto be dealt, but I'm going to
live my life and live.
Kezia (19:17):
Yeah, I mean you can't control what life throws at you,
but you can control yourreaction to it, and that's what
I say to everyone.
Life is so much fun.
It's like do something thatscares you, or do something that
brings you joy in.
You're challenging me now.
Yeah, I mean, like, because Ihid it for so long, and in
(19:38):
hindsight, I'm thinking that isso awful.
And you know, when I got backfrom Russia, we COVID hit, so I
had time, and I literally wrotemy book because I thought all
the things I said, I'm nevergonna tell anyone that I'm never
gonna tell, and I did.
I wrote it, wrote it all down,rose tinted my story, and it
just I've had people email meand say there was one chap in
(19:59):
America and he said, I've nottold my wife because I'm scared.
And I'm like, oh my gosh, howdo you?
And I've had other people emailme and contact me, and and I
now get phone calls and saying,My friend's just been diagnosed,
not necessarily with MS, butwith something, will you speak
to her?
Because it's it's so scary, andit is it's really frightening
(20:22):
because as humans we seeworst-case scenario, and I did,
and that's why I went, yeah,what's happening?
But yeah, actually, with myhonesty came my power, and it
was only when I went, okay, yes,I have got this, and yes, it
might be awful, but I'm gonnaI'm going to own it.
Mel (20:41):
And it's I mean, that it's someone that's done it already,
but it's uh it's such adifficult thing, and I it's
empowering, yeah, so empoweringbecause when you bring something
that's been kept in the shadowsand in the dark, a secret or or
something that's heavy, yeah.
As soon as you bring it outinto the light, it no longer
(21:02):
holds that power over youanymore.
And all of a sudden you're incontrol and you run the
narrative, and you go, you knowwhat?
Okay, I can't change thisthing, but I'm gonna change
this, this, this, this, this,and I'm gonna make my life the
best life it is, and I want tobring everyone along with me.
Like, yeah, you know, it's notkeeping things away from
(21:23):
everyone as well.
It's like, okay, let's all goon this journey together.
Kezia (21:28):
Yeah, and and people were amazing.
My clients were fantastic, myfamily, obviously, my friends,
and then people I didn't know.
People literally are amazing.
And it was, you know, when Iwas telling people that suddenly
it thinks that there is a lotof good in the world, and it's
only when you ask and arewilling to share, you know, your
(21:50):
difficulties that people openup to you, and it was you know
one of the best things I've beendoing to be honest.
Mel (21:57):
Oh, that is so beautiful.
So oh my gosh, the time goes sofast, this is crazy.
But if you were to give justone bit of advice to a woman out
there who might be diagnosedwith something that is incurable
or something that is gonnagravely impact her life, what
(22:21):
would that advice be?
Kezia (22:22):
I would say uh, you know, don't be uh scared to ask for
help.
It takes a strong person toactually say, Look, I could do
with some help.
Because that's it's sodifficult because we are women,
especially, apologies if I'mbeing sexist, we are like, we
can handle everything.
But it's okay not to be able tohandle everything, it's a
(22:45):
stronger person that can say,Look, I could do with some help
right now.
Mel (22:50):
Yeah, I think that's really wise, very wise.
So if people want to get intouch with you, want to get a
hold of your book, where canthey go?
Kezia (23:01):
Um, if you go onto Amazon, it's rose tinted my
story.
Um, and if you I think if youtype by naming, because I've
done a few different bits, it'sKezia Kitschibash.
Um, and you can find me onFacebook, I think I'm on
LinkedIn, um Instagram is underKellebeck, which is my therapy
business.
So you can literally if you putall the links in the
(23:24):
description.
Mel (23:25):
They're all everywhere.
I'll put I'll put them all inthere so people can find me.
But the main thing is lookingup in your country, wherever
you're listening to this from,looking up your Amazon and
finding her book.
Oh my goodness, I have reallyenjoyed talking to you, and I
wish we had hours.
I wish we had hours to talk.
You are an incredible woman,and I just I want to say sort of
(23:50):
on behalf of everyone, I know Ican't speak for everyone, but
on behalf of everyone, thank youfor being so vulnerable.
Thank you for sharing yourstory because you may not
realize just how many lives youseriously impact from what
you've gone through.
You've you've turned somethingreally difficult into something
that could literally give lifeto people.
(24:12):
So thank you.
Kezia (24:14):
Oh, that doesn't mean an awful lot.
No, it's been an absolutepleasure.
Mel (24:18):
Oh, you're so welcome.
Well, I'm gonna have to get youback again one day because I'm
gonna want to hear the updateson everything, and I'm sure the
audience is gonna want to hearit too.
So thank you so much for comingon today, and I look forward to
seeing how your storycontinues.
Amazing.
Thank you so much.
If you like this episode, don'tforget to hit subscribe so you
(24:41):
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And if you want to continue theconversation, you can connect
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Remember, organising is a tourto live the purposeful life of
beyond it.
See you next time.
Welcome to Beyond Organised, the podcast that helps you simplify your life and amplify your purpose. I'm Mel Schenker, life coach, speaker, founder of She's Organised, but, more importantly, a wife and mum of four little kids. If you've ever felt overwhelmed, like you're constantly juggling everything but never quite catching up, this is the place for you. Here we go beyond just the tidying up and creating systems. We're talking about real life strategies that bring order to your life, but also we talk about the things beyond the organising, the things that really matter, like your parenting relationships and so much more. So grab your coffee and let's dive in.
(00:59):
Welcome to another episode ofBeyond Organised.
I have Kezia here today.
Now I'm going to read out areally awesome bio for this
lovely lady.
You are probably going to bejust as amazed as I am as this
woman and all her achievements.
So today's guest grew up inCambridge and studied
(01:19):
contemporary theatre atDeMontford University.
A lifelong sports lover, herworld changed when she was
diagnosed with MS at just 25.
Determined not to let that stopher, she went on to complete an
NVQ in holistic therapies andnow runs her own holistic
therapy business from apurpose-built salon.
She's a proud mum of two.
(01:40):
Her son is married with a babyon the way.
And her tall, spirited13-year-old daughter keeps her
on her toes.
In 2019, she traveled to Moscowfor stem cell treatment to slow
the progression of her MS.
And coming home from thatexperience, she wrote her first
book, Rose Tinted My Story.
Since then, she's embraced lifewith a sense of adventure.
(02:03):
Skydiving, oh my gosh,parasailing by accident,
swimming in the ocean, andsaying yes to new experiences.
Her philosophy is simple adiagnosis isn't a full stop.
Life is for living, and a goodsense of humor is one of the
best tools we have.
I loved reading that about you,and I'm so excited to talk to
(02:26):
you today, Kezia.
Thank you for coming on theshow.
No, thank you for having me.
I'm really excited.
I have to just, before we getinto this, I have to ask, what
is the story behind theskydiving and parasailing by
accident?
Kezia (02:39):
Well, well, I'm not an adventure seeker.
I mean, I go along, things justseem to fall into my lap, if
I'm honest.
Um I'm not one that would say,yes, I want to do this, I want
to do that.
Um so I went for oxygen.
So I go to the LeicestershireMS Therapy Centre every week.
So I do physio there andjoining classes and have oxygen.
So I was coming out of oxygenum and I was rushing for the
(03:03):
school run.
And one of my friends said,Kesia, you'll jump out of an
aeroplane.
And I literally said, justcheck my diary, see what I'm
doing.
If I'm free, yeah, just stickme down.
But just check my diary andthen rushed off for the school
run.
And then on my return thefollowing week, uh, someone
went, Oh, you're you're doingthe uh tandem skydive.
(03:23):
And I went, sorry?
And they said, You saw meskydive.
And I said, Have I?
And I'm like, Yeah, yeah, youwere put down.
I was like, Oh my gosh, okay.
And they said, because ofinsurance purposes, you've got
MS, so we need uh doctors goahead.
And I was like, Oh my gosh.
But when I've agreed to dosomething, I do it.
Your mind is set.
(03:44):
And I was like, okay, okay.
And then obviously you have tohave training because your legs
have to be strong enough.
So that set about my trainingto get my legs strong enough to
skydive, um, which is one of thebest things.
Um but yeah, so I literallywrote took the insurance papers
to my doctor and said, Have Igot the go-ahead?
(04:07):
And then just rang every day,Hi, it's Kezia again.
Has anyone managed to sign thepaperwork?
Has anyone managed to sign thepaperwork?
And then my doctor did agree toit.
And there was, I think in theend there was about 10 of us
that did it.
And then you've gone.
I was the only MS one, Ibelieve.
Mel (04:27):
Uh because I got the head.
Wow, what incredible story.
Now, I have no doubt you'refull of incredible stories in
your journey and everythingyou've gone through.
And we have such a short periodof time.
So I'm going to be quiet andI'm gonna let you share your
story because I'm sure,especially other women out there
(04:48):
who possibly even going throughMS themselves, but any other
form of diagnosis that feelslike maybe even a death
sentence, I I would love you toshare your story and yeah, go
from there.
Kezia (05:00):
Yeah, well, it's I mean, I got diagnosed in 2007.
Um, and I was halfway throughmy holistic therapy training
because I was I was a young mum.
Um, I was looking after my son.
This I basically again got intoit by accident, so holistics by
accident.
I was mashing baby food and Iwas changing nappies, and I was
(05:23):
basically watching Night Gardenall day long.
And I think I'd just finishedmy university degree, I did
theatre, and I'd just finishedthat, and suddenly was a mum,
and I was like, I'd neverbabysat before, and suddenly I
had this little boy that wasrelying on me.
And I was like, I'm not meantto be, I've got polycystic
ovaries, I've got endometrious,so I didn't think I didn't think
(05:43):
it was gonna happen.
Yeah, very clessed this littleman relying on me.
And so I did all the baby foodmashing and watched Night Garden
and changed nappies, but I wasgoing a bit stir crazy because I
was quite young and I was like,what can I do to have some time
for myself?
Yeah, and I looked at the localcollege and they had an
accounting course where I couldget free childcare or holistic
(06:04):
therapy.
Now I'm not big on math, so Iwas like, I'm okay, I can get
by, but I was like, I'm notgonna do that.
But because there was freechildcare, I was like, right,
I'm going to do an NVQ inholistic therapies.
So I dropped him off at Creshand went and did my training,
and it was purely to get a bitof me time because being a mum
is wonderful, but it is thehardest job in the world.
Mel (06:27):
I hear you, I hear you loud and clear.
So does every other mum outthere.
Kezia (06:33):
It is literally the hardest job because it's 24
hours, you have no break.
Yeah, there's no sick pay,there's no yeah.
So it was literally, I ended updoing holistics just to get a
break from my son, and I justfell in love with it.
And I thought this is amazing.
And then halfway through mytraining, um, I started falling
over, and I was really healthy.
Do you know?
(06:53):
I was quite I did like also, Iwas at the gym, I did loads of I
was just super healthy.
Um and I just started fallingover, and you know, I went to
the doctors and said, What'swrong?
And they kept checking my earsand they were like, There's
nothing.
And then I got to the pointwhere I was being sick and I the
room was spinning, and I gotquite ill and they couldn't find
anything.
And in the end, I said, Right,I'm going down to A.
(07:15):
And I went and they checked meand said, I'm really sorry.
Uh, have you ever heard of MS?
And I was like, What?
And I was like, No, no, that'sthat's that's not right because
I'm healthy, it happens to oldpeople, you know, all these
people.
Yeah, not me.
It happens to everyone elseapart from me.
Yeah, and from them, I did theinjections, everything I was
(07:38):
told, I completed my holistics,but I hid my diagnosis, and I
hid it.
I think it was over a decadethat I hid it.
I did theatre, so I was verygood.
It was, I mean, I look now andI think that was so stupid.
And I was thinking, you know,when I start working, are
clients gonna think they mightcatch it from me?
Are they going to look at it?
(07:59):
It's now I think that istotally ridiculous.
Yeah, and then but I canunderstand that, yeah.
It's about fatigue as well.
And I thought, if I'm giving afull body massage, is someone
gonna think I'm not gonna bewell enough to do it?
Are they gonna make me ill?
So that's why rationale, butafter in hindsight, I realised I
just hadn't dealt with it, andI just thought if I put my
(08:22):
fingers in my ears and don'ttell anyone, it doesn't exist.
Yeah, bury my head in the sand,everything I do.
La la la la, everything isfine.
Yeah, so I literally hid it.
I think it was probably 11 anda half years or so, but it was
over a decade.
I hid it.
I had a fold-up stick, I had asalon built in the garden, so I
(08:42):
it's still there, my salon'sfabulous.
But I could get into the salonwith my stick, fold up the
stick, put it to the side, andpeople, you know, people are
it's really relaxing in there,and people not looking for
anything.
Yeah, so I hid it for so long,and then it was at a routine
neurology appointment, and thedoctor said, I'm really sorry,
(09:04):
there's nothing else the NHS cando for you.
You're you're going to be in awheelchair by Christmas.
And I went no, no, I don'tthink so.
I think you've made this,you're you're wrong.
And I and I just sort ofignored everything, and people
always tell you, you know, allyou need to do is eat more
cinnamon, all you need to do isspin on a Tuesday with a banana
in bed.
Everyone's got, everyone has acure.
(09:27):
Every theory under the sun.
I'd been to this meeting, andit was just by chance because
the kids were with their dad, soit was by chance again, and I
didn't have anything to do.
And I was thinking, what doadults do?
You know, when they don't havetheir children.
So I went along to thismeeting, and this lady ran
across the stage, and and shesaid she was in a wheelchair the
week, the week before, sorry,the year before, and she had MS.
(09:50):
And I was like, right.
And then people started,neurologists came up on the
screen and they were talkingabout statistics, and again, I'm
not happy with numbers, andthen like those numerous, and it
was all going over my head.
And then this little Russiandoctor came out and he went, We
are all family, we worktogether, the c the patients
(10:11):
look after each other, we'refamily from all over the world.
And I said, if I'm ever crazyenough to have this stem cell
transplant, I'm going to Russia.
So in the doctor's surgery,when the neurologist said, I'm
really sorry, there's nothingelse you can do.
And I said, Well, I'll have astem cell transplant.
And he was like, I'm reallysorry, you're too far gone.
And I was like, No, no, no, I'mnot.
(10:33):
I'm not going to Russia.
And he was like, Okay, okay,crazy lady.
And I was like, okay.
And then one of my friends saidto me, You need to tell people.
And I was like, What do youmean?
And she said, Make videos, showthem what you do every day.
And I was like, What, likecooking with the kids?
And she was like, No, the MSstuff.
(10:53):
And so I started doing YouTubevideos.
I think it's Kezia Kicks back.
Um, you can find them all overYouTube, and just sharing my
story.
And then I came out to theworld, and clients were like, I
thought you had cramp.
I thought you, you know, whenthey noticed things, because
they're like, How did you hideit?
And I said, if you were sodesperate to hide something, you
can.
(11:13):
Yeah, yeah.
Mel (11:15):
And they weren't looking, as you said before, you know,
they they weren't looking, soit's easy to to miss, I guess.
Kezia (11:22):
Yeah, I mean, I got to the point, it's really it makes
me sad now for my former selfbecause I literally started
retreating and I stopped goingout and I stopped going into
town, you know, because I wentfrom one stick to two sticks to
like barely being able to walk.
I mean, luckily I could stillgo to the salon, so that was
like my sanctuary.
Um but yeah, then I came out tothe world and fundraised, and I
(11:46):
had a just giving page, I hadmeals at restaurants, we had
pamper days, we had cinemascreening, I contacted so many
people, it was amazing, and wefundraised, and then I headed to
Russia in 2019 and had a stemcell transplant, which was
incredible.
I mean, luckily I made videosbecause I look back and it's
(12:09):
like a dream world now.
I mean, you have uhchemotherapy, but really high
dose of chemo, um, and theyharvest your stem cells.
So I had my neck slit a coupleof times and tubes put into my
into my spine to harvest my stemcells.
Oh.
And then they use it's acentrifuge and clean your
separate your stem cells, giveyou chemo.
(12:32):
Um I mean the chemo was prettyintense.
Um I mean, I imagine theycleaned my room constantly, and
the outside of my door wasbleached in case anyone opened
the door, um, because they getyou solo because it's your
immune system.
Mel (12:48):
Yeah, and so you've got no immune system left, so any germ
could kill you, essentially.
Kezia (12:54):
Yeah, exactly.
Wow, and then they reboosted myimmune system, um, and I was in
isolation in Russia.
I think I was only in for eightdays because they they test
you, they were incredible.
They tested me at every singlepoint, and the food, I don't
even know what I was eating atsome points because it was it
was like an orange blob withsome yellow custard looking
(13:16):
stuff, and I had no idea.
And I was thinking these peopleknow what they're doing, I'm
gonna just trust, you know, theyknow what they're doing.
Yeah, it was an incredibleexperience.
Um, and then yeah, came back toEngland.
I was in isolation here for awhile because obviously my
immune system I mean I lost allmy hair, and um yeah, so that
(13:40):
was the shocker, really, eventhough I knew it was gonna
happen.
I've got massive curly hair andI had it chopped as short as I
could, and then in Russia theyshaved it so it wasn't so scary.
Um but that was the scarypoint.
When I I literally woke up onemorning in Russia and they kept
telling me off because I neverpressed the emergency bell or
the calling bell.
You know, to get tea andcoffee, I'd just get it myself,
(14:00):
and they were like, You'rereally weak.
Please ask something.
I don't need to, I can do itmyself.
Yeah, I'm an independent woman.
Absolutely, yeah, exactly.
So I was very much like that.
But then I woke up one morningand I was covered in hair all
over my hands, my arms, my face,and I literally just burst into
tears because the thing is likeall so short, but I was just
(14:21):
like, what is going on?
And I pressed the buzzer forthe first and every time, I
believe.
And then this Russian nurse,she came in, she was fantastic.
She literally she nodded, andthen she just wiped down my
hairs, wiped my face, lifted meup, changed my bed, put a hair
cap on, gave me a cuddle, thenput me back in bed.
Oh my gosh.
(14:43):
But sometimes that's just whatyou need is someone to just come
in, clean you up, give you ahug.
No, you're never too old forthat, I don't think.
No, definitely not.
So yeah, that was the that wasthe biggie in Russia, but then I
came back here and and thenyeah, just started my physio.
And I mean, I couldn't bend myleft leg before I went to
(15:06):
Russia, and I came back here andI could suddenly bend my left
leg, I could feel my handsbetter, and it's all things.
See, yeah.
Yeah, so I'm walking one sticknow.
So that was what six years agonow.
Oh, 2019, yeah.
Yeah, that's six years ago.
Yeah, so that's crazy.
Mel (15:25):
I mean, it's a good thing you went in 2019 and didn't wait
till 2020.
Oh gosh.
Yeah, okay.
Your life could be incrediblydifferent now, just based off
that timing.
So wow, how fortunate.
Sometimes things have a way ofworking themselves out, don't
they?
Like you just really you don'trealize, but looking back on the
(15:48):
timing of things, you think,wow, like that timing uh is
pretty pivotal to actually youbeing able to still be able to
walk now.
Kezia (15:57):
You might not have been.
I dodged so many bulletsbecause Brexit happened just
after.
You know what I mean?
But I had money coming in fromItaly, from Japan, from Turkey.
I had money from all over theworld.
And if Brexit had happened,that wouldn't have happened.
Wow.
And then I got back and I cameout of isolation um on Halloween
(16:19):
actually.
Um, and then we went intolockdown because Leicester,
where I'm based, is was thefirst place to go into lockdown.
And so three months after COVIDhit, we went into lockdown, and
then after that was the Russianwar, and I managed to avoid all
of those things.
Wow, and also the neurologistin Russia, um, Dr.
(16:39):
Fedorenko said that my MS hasjust switched to the more um
aggressive state.
Mel (16:46):
Yeah.
Kezia (16:46):
Just just then.
So he'd managed to catch itjust before.
So I think I dodged fourbullets, and I'm so grateful and
so lucky.
Mel (16:56):
That oh, I've got goosebumps.
I've I've got goosebumps.
I've just like, that isincredible.
I mean, it's a hard blow, whatyou've been dealt in a lot of
ways, but I love how despite thechallenges and all that, you
are so grateful for life andwhat you have got and the
blessings that have sprung upbecause of it as well.
Kezia (17:21):
Like one of my best friends said, I'm glad you've
got MS.
You know what I mean?
I got diagnosed.
I was like, Oh, thanks.
And she said, if you didn't,we'd be sat in a pub talking
because of your MS.
We go parasailing, we're livingin hot air, we're doing
everything that people with MSor a disability shouldn't do.
And so I'm like forevergrateful for it because every
(17:45):
single day I'm excited.
What's the day gonna hold?
What can I do?
What how can I challengemyself?
And MS is one of the bestthings that happened to me,
which either makes me soundcrazy, but I don't mind.
I don't mind sounding a bitcrazy.
Mel (17:58):
You know, you're not the only person to speak like that.
I actually have had a number ofpeople that have come and gone
in my life, a few have passedaway now, but people that have
had diagnosis of some sort, butit's just made them live.
It's like, and some of them,you know, they've had the
diagnosis as long as you, youknow, it's a very long time, and
(18:21):
they have lived their life.
And when you think of it, theamount of people that I know
that are perfectly healthy andperfectly fine and they live
till a ripe old age, and theyhave all these regrets, all
these things they wish they didwhen they could, when they had
the ability to, when they wereyounger, when their kids were
(18:42):
little, now they've grown up,they moved out, they got like
all these things.
And I just think like, and I'mnot saying, I'm not saying that
anyone that's being diagnosedwith something tough like what
you've got is a good thing.
I'm not saying that, but I lovehow you can take something
that's bad and turn it intosomething good in the things you
(19:05):
can control because you can'tcontrol it all.
And the fact that you're going,you know what?
Yeah, it's a it's a rough cardto be dealt, but I'm going to
live my life and live.
Kezia (19:17):
Yeah, I mean you can't control what life throws at you,
but you can control yourreaction to it, and that's what
I say to everyone.
Life is so much fun.
It's like do something thatscares you, or do something that
brings you joy in.
You're challenging me now.
Yeah, I mean, like, because Ihid it for so long, and in
(19:38):
hindsight, I'm thinking that isso awful.
And you know, when I got backfrom Russia, we COVID hit, so I
had time, and I literally wrotemy book because I thought all
the things I said, I'm nevergonna tell anyone that I'm never
gonna tell, and I did.
I wrote it, wrote it all down,rose tinted my story, and it
just I've had people email meand say there was one chap in
(19:59):
America and he said, I've nottold my wife because I'm scared.
And I'm like, oh my gosh, howdo you?
And I've had other people emailme and contact me, and and I
now get phone calls and saying,My friend's just been diagnosed,
not necessarily with MS, butwith something, will you speak
to her?
Because it's it's so scary, andit is it's really frightening
(20:22):
because as humans we seeworst-case scenario, and I did,
and that's why I went, yeah,what's happening?
But yeah, actually, with myhonesty came my power, and it
was only when I went, okay, yes,I have got this, and yes, it
might be awful, but I'm gonnaI'm going to own it.
Mel (20:41):
And it's I mean, that it's someone that's done it already,
but it's uh it's such adifficult thing, and I it's
empowering, yeah, so empoweringbecause when you bring something
that's been kept in the shadowsand in the dark, a secret or or
something that's heavy, yeah.
As soon as you bring it outinto the light, it no longer
(21:02):
holds that power over youanymore.
And all of a sudden you're incontrol and you run the
narrative, and you go, you knowwhat?
Okay, I can't change thisthing, but I'm gonna change
this, this, this, this, this,and I'm gonna make my life the
best life it is, and I want tobring everyone along with me.
Like, yeah, you know, it's notkeeping things away from
(21:23):
everyone as well.
It's like, okay, let's all goon this journey together.
Kezia (21:28):
Yeah, and and people were amazing.
My clients were fantastic, myfamily, obviously, my friends,
and then people I didn't know.
People literally are amazing.
And it was, you know, when Iwas telling people that suddenly
it thinks that there is a lotof good in the world, and it's
only when you ask and arewilling to share, you know, your
(21:50):
difficulties that people openup to you, and it was you know
one of the best things I've beendoing to be honest.
Mel (21:57):
Oh, that is so beautiful.
So oh my gosh, the time goes sofast, this is crazy.
But if you were to give justone bit of advice to a woman out
there who might be diagnosedwith something that is incurable
or something that is gonnagravely impact her life, what
(22:21):
would that advice be?
Kezia (22:22):
I would say uh, you know, don't be uh scared to ask for
help.
It takes a strong person toactually say, Look, I could do
with some help.
Because that's it's sodifficult because we are women,
especially, apologies if I'mbeing sexist, we are like, we
can handle everything.
But it's okay not to be able tohandle everything, it's a
(22:45):
stronger person that can say,Look, I could do with some help
right now.
Mel (22:50):
Yeah, I think that's really wise, very wise.
So if people want to get intouch with you, want to get a
hold of your book, where canthey go?
Kezia (23:01):
Um, if you go onto Amazon, it's rose tinted my
story.
Um, and if you I think if youtype by naming, because I've
done a few different bits, it'sKezia Kitschibash.
Um, and you can find me onFacebook, I think I'm on
LinkedIn, um Instagram is underKellebeck, which is my therapy
business.
So you can literally if you putall the links in the
(23:24):
description.
Mel (23:25):
They're all everywhere.
I'll put I'll put them all inthere so people can find me.
But the main thing is lookingup in your country, wherever
you're listening to this from,looking up your Amazon and
finding her book.
Oh my goodness, I have reallyenjoyed talking to you, and I
wish we had hours.
I wish we had hours to talk.
You are an incredible woman,and I just I want to say sort of
(23:50):
on behalf of everyone, I know Ican't speak for everyone, but
on behalf of everyone, thank youfor being so vulnerable.
Thank you for sharing yourstory because you may not
realize just how many lives youseriously impact from what
you've gone through.
You've you've turned somethingreally difficult into something
that could literally give lifeto people.
(24:12):
So thank you.
Kezia (24:14):
Oh, that doesn't mean an awful lot.
No, it's been an absolutepleasure.
Mel (24:18):
Oh, you're so welcome.
Well, I'm gonna have to get youback again one day because I'm
gonna want to hear the updateson everything, and I'm sure the
audience is gonna want to hearit too.
So thank you so much for comingon today, and I look forward to
seeing how your storycontinues.
Amazing.
Thank you so much.
If you like this episode, don'tforget to hit subscribe so you
(24:41):
don't miss what's coming next.
And if you want to continue theconversation, you can connect
with me on Instagram@shes.organised or for some free
resources, head over tobeyondorganised.com/ toolkit.
Remember, organising is a tourto live the purposeful life of
beyond it.
See you next time.
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