Nikki Grahame has admitted she’s “overwhelmed by people’s kindness” amid her battle with anorexia.
Earlier this month, a GoFundMe page was set up by Nikki’s friends to fund her care as begins treatment for her eating disorder in a private facility.
The 38-year-old’s mother Susan appeared on ITV’s This Morning, where she shared a message from the reality star to her supporters.
She told hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby: “I spoke to Nikki this morning and she said, ‘Mum, please stress how overwhelmed I am at people’s kindness towards me.'”
“‘I just don’t get it, but I am so grateful,’ and she said, ‘Also tell everybody that I’m going to try my level best this time to beat this. I want to get my life back.'”
Nikki appeared on the seventh series of Big Brother back in 2006, and it’s understood she developed an eating disorder as a child.
A post on the GoFundMe page reads: “We have set up this page for our very close and dear friend Nikki. As some of you may know, Nikki is battling Anorexia.”
“She has been battling for most of her life and as you can see, Nikki is now in a very bad way so we need to do something quickly.”
“Over the past years Nikkis family and friends have tried so desperately to get Nikki all the help possible through the NHS but unfortunately the treatments have failed and we have exhausted every avenue possible, and now Nik is unfortunately in a very bad way, this is now our last hope,” Nikki’s friends wrote.
“This is why we feel that getting her treatment in a specialist clinic is the only option left for her. We are praying this gives her the chance of kicking this illness to the curb once and for all.”
“At the moment, Nikki constantly feels weak and is struggling on a day to day basis. She feels trapped and really wants to get better but feels like it’s impossible.”
“It’s heart-breaking and we desperately just want a healthy and well Nikki back with us. She has no energy and is taking each day as it comes.”
“Mental health, as so many of you know, is debilitating in many ways. We want to help save our friend from letting this Illness beat her. If you are able to donate anything then we would be extremely grateful,” they continued.
“Nikki has given permission for the creation of this page and is supporting it in the hope it enables her to access the special care and treatment she desperately needs. We know the photos may be distressing but we felt it was important to show the severity of where Nikki is currently at.”
“The basic treatment Nikki has been receiving from the NHS is simply just not working for her so her only option now is to seek expensive intensive treatment at The Prioriy or a similar alternative facility alongside meticulous private therapy.”
“The above treatment and facility costs 25 thousand pounds per month and we believe this is her only option to provide the care and life saving treatment she needs.”
“We are going to walk the bridges of London to help raise the money, and for anyone that would like to join us we are looking to do the walk in May as soon as lockdown allows us,” they wrote.
“Nikki made millions of us laugh during her happier days, now all we want is to see our Nik’s smile again. Thank you for taking the time to read this. We will keep you updated of Nikki’s progress on here.”
For help and support with eating disorders, contact Bodywhys on 01-2107906, or visit bodywhys.ie.
