‘Justice is needed – my nana deserves to see this in her lifetime’

From a young age, I was always the first one on the dance floor, eager to perform on stage, and ready to grab the mic for karaoke.

On the other hand, my mam Joanne was the complete opposite.

The reason we were so different is because she always wanted me to have the confidence and self-belief that she felt was taken from her before she even had a chance.

Back in the late ’60s, we placed complete trust in doctors and never questioned the pills they prescribed. My nana, Jill, was given Primodos, a hormonal pregnancy test, with the assurance it would either start her period if she wasn’t pregnant or dissolve harmlessly if she was. With no medical background, this sounds risky – and during my own pregnancies I was scared to even have a latte! But as I said, in the ’60s, you trusted your family doctor without question.

My mam was later born with a deformed hand, making everyday tasks a struggle. It was heartbreaking to see her so proud at my wedding but then fade into the background, not wanting to draw attention to herself because of her hand. Many other families have been affected in different and often worse ways, but the impact on my mam shouldn’t be minimised.

My nana is an amazing woman, but I know she carries constant guilt over what she took during pregnancy and how it may have affected her unborn daughter. But who is really to blame? The drug company? The government?

Justice is needed. My nana deserves to see this in her lifetime. Someone owes all these families an answer – not only for those who have been affected but to ensure future trust in pharmaceutical companies and the government isn’t met with the same ignorance and gaslighting.

This is why I stand with the ACDHT.