Old Before My Time: Hayley Okines' Life with Progeria

by Alison Stokes (Author), HayleyOkines (Author), KerryOkines (Author)

• Used

  Illustrated
  2011

  $3.29

  It's every parent's worst fear to have their child diagnosed with a terminal condition. Hayley Okines is an extraordinary 13-year-old. Born with the rare genetic condition progeria, she ages 8 times faster than healthy people - in medical terms her body is like that of a 100-year-old woman. Throughout her short life Hayley has shown immense courage and faced her condition with a total lack of self-pity, 'I don't think about dying and just enjoy life,' she says. In Old Before My Time, Hayley and her mum Kerry describe the highs and lows of Hayley's full life. From the emotions of losing her best friend to the disease at the age of 11, her regular visits to America to become a human guinea pig for pioneering drug trials and her travels all over the world collecting awards to making TV appearances and meeting celebrities like Girls Aloud, Kylie Minogue, Justin Beiber, her life has been extraordinary. She's even been cheeky to Prince Charles! All this while continuing life as an ordinary schoolgirl. Now as she reaches the age of 13 - the average life expectancy for a child with progeria, Hayley reflects on her future and the ground-breaking results of her drug trials with typical infectious optimism.