This is what Sara’s nominator said:
“Sara Lomas is an absolute marvel and joy to be around. She constantly challenges herself and runs/climbs/abseils through the pain living with Cushing’s to raise awareness and funds for The Pituitary Foundation. Not only is she a very warm and welcoming person who has started a new support group in Nottingham, she has also been nominated for a Pride of Britain award for all her achievements as a Pituitary Foundation volunteer.”
This is what Sara told us:
What’s your story?
What an honour to be selected as a Pituitary Hero.
I was diagnosed with Cushing’s Disease in 2022, had successful pituitary surgery that year that caused temporary AVP-D, and am now happily in remission. In hindsight I probably had the disease for about 10 years and by the time I had my surgery I was very poorly and felt very scared and lonely. I turned to the internet for answers and discovered lots of them through The Pituitary Foundation and the Cushing’s UK Facebook group. Suddenly I felt supported and consequently stronger. I decided I needed to help others get the support they need.
Why you got involved?
My recovery from Cushing’s is slow and difficult. However, I started fundraising for the charity by setting myself challenging goals and asking people to sponsor me. I’ve climbed a mountain, competed in a 10K run, half marathons and marathons, done bake sales, abseiled off the roof of a hospital, completed one million steps in a month, and got shortlisted for a Pride of Britain award for my efforts. I’ve set up the Nottingham Support Group and become an Ambassador for the Charity, hoping to keep making a difference to the lives of those affected by pituitary diseases.
What would you like to see happen in The Pituitary Foundation for next 30 years?
Going forward I would love to see the charity continue to grow and offer support groups in all areas of the UK as well as many more online events for those less mobile. It’s been great to see the charity expand their psychological support and I hope this continues. It would also be fantastic to see them better represented within hospitals so patients know how to access more information and support. Knowledge is power after all. The Pituitary Foundation is a truly amazing charity, I’ve met some wonderfully inspiring people since I started volunteering with them and I look forward to continuing to support them in the future.