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Woman dies after being accused by doctors of faking symptoms

<p>A woman from New Zealand has passed away from a debilitating illness after being told by a doctor that her illness was “all in her head”.</p> <p>Stephanie Aston, 33, died after a long and public battle with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a rare  genetic disorder affecting the body’s connective tissue, on September 1st. </p> <p>EDS, of which there are 13 different variants, is often referred to as an "invisible illness", as sufferers can often appear healthy despite experiencing excruciating symptoms, such as severe migraines, dislocating joints, easy bruising, abdominal pain, iron deficiency, fainting and an abnormally fast heart-rate.</p> <p>Aston said she was dismissed by a doctor in 2016, who dismissed her symptoms and told her that she was faking her disease. </p> <p>Despite being diagnosed with EDS by three different specialists, one doctor in Auckland, who Aston referred to as 'Doctor A', suggested she was not seriously unwell and indicated she was causing her illnesses, <em><a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/stephanie-aston-death-eds-sufferers-call-for-change-after-doctors-accused-woman-of-faking-illness/VX4Q6CAWRVH25I6OCKGQ4KTW4M/">The NZ Herald</a></em> reports.</p> <p>Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes New Zealand founder Kelly McQuinlan said Stephanie's death has shocked the community, and said more needs to be done for those suffering with the debilitating condition. </p> <p>“A lot of people are feeling very lost,” she said.</p> <p>“I think most people in these rare positions or invisible illnesses, definitely experience setbacks and disbelieving because things can’t be seen but really the clinical symptoms are there that are being ignored.”</p> <p>Ms McQuinlan described Ms Aston as a “beacon” for those with the illness in a tribute to her on Facebook.</p> <p>“Most people in our community have experienced some form of sort of doctors not believing them or questioning their diagnosis which is extremely hard,” she wrote.</p> <p>“When they see someone in their community pass away, the first thing they think is ‘What if my care is not looked after? What’s going to happen to me?’.”</p> <p>“At the end of the day, if symptoms aren’t managed correctly, anyone can get sick enough that they will pass away.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

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“My passion since I was a child”: White Island survivor looks to career plans

<p dir="ltr">A survivor of the 2019 White Island volcano eruption has opened up about what she hopes to do next as she continues on her recovery journey.</p> <p dir="ltr">Stephanie Browitt was among the few survivors of the eruption on New Zealand’s Whakaari/White Island, which killed her younger sister, her father, and another 20 people, and left Stephanie with third-degree burns to 70 percent of her body.</p> <p dir="ltr">Since then, the 26-year-old has faced a difficult road to recovery which included the recent <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/it-s-emotional-and-scary-white-island-eruption-survivor-removes-her-face-mask" target="_blank" rel="noopener">removal of her final burns garment</a> during an interview with 60 Minutes.</p> <p dir="ltr">Now, she has turned an eye towards her potential career, hoping to land work in media - her passion since childhood - or as a motivational speaker.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m hoping that I can get a career in what I graduated in, which is media and arts, film and TV. That’s been my passion since I was a child,” she told the <em>Today Show</em> on Tuesday.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But I’d also like to land a role in motivational speaking, because I hope that by sharing my experience I can give hope to others and show them that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Stephanie, who has shared every step of her recovery with followers online, said she still “struggles quite a lot” but is grateful and doing “okay” overall.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I still struggle quite a lot, but I’m trying to make the most of every day because I’m very grateful for my second chance at life,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though removing her final burns garment, a compression mask that covered her face, felt “daunting”, she reflected that she has felt more like herself since.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was quite daunting at the beginning,” Stephanie said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But since taking all of my compression garments off I do feel a lot more free and feel like myself again.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They were quite uncomfortable and hard to put up with and tight … they were very painful and caused a lot of horrible days.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m very glad that I can now express myself through my wardrobe and my make-up and I don’t feel like it’s holding me back anymore.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Appearing on the<em> Today Show </em>to promote DonateLife Week, Stephanie urged Aussies to sign up as organ or tissue donors and spoke about her own experience receiving donated tissue.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I received skin tissue donations from multiple donors and I needed that … obviously when you have so many open wounds, you're at a higher risk of infection and you're also leaking bodily fluids. There was not enough of my own good skin to use to cover those areas,” she said</p> <p dir="ltr">“There are millions of Australians who want to sign up. People support it but tell themselves they will do it later.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-ed2c14c5-7fff-424c-d71d-d5fac4a5a691"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“It is quick. It takes one minute.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @stephaniecoral96 (Instagram)</em></p>

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“It’s emotional and scary”: White Island eruption survivor removes her face mask

<p dir="ltr">A survivor of the 2019 White Island volcano eruption who suffered burns to 70 percent of her body has finally been able to remove her face mask.</p> <p dir="ltr">Stephanie Browitt was visiting New Zealand’s northeastern Bay of Plenty region with her sister and father, who were both among the 22 people who died in the eruption.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her road to recovery has been a long and difficult one, which she has shared on social media with more than 1.6 million followers.</p> <p dir="ltr">Appearing on Nine’s <em>60 Minutes</em>, Stephanie removed her compression mask for the first time, telling host Sarah Abo that it was a “big deal” and that it felt like “this day would never come”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s emotional and scary. It is actually quite daunting as much as it is exciting,” she said.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-544c330b-7fff-ab83-7c65-728b0ded1b94"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Looking in the mirror, Stephanie said she saw a woman who was tougher than she ever thought she could be.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/06/steph8.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="721" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: 60 Minutes</em></p> <p dir="ltr">“I see a person who has gone through so much more than I ever expected to go through in life. I see a very tormented person,” she continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">As much as this is exciting, it has been a long, hard journey to get here. I am tougher than I ever thought I would be.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-009138d2-7fff-ca5c-152c-bf17a9b2f5ae"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“I have learnt that the fight for survival is a real thing. I was literally fighting every day to survive, to just get back to being myself. I never knew that I had this in me.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CedLNM1vrna/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CedLNM1vrna/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Stephanie Coral Browitt (@stephaniecoral96)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Sunday’s episode also showed never-before-seen photos of Stephanie’s injuries, revealing the extent of the severe burns that covered almost her whole body.</p> <p dir="ltr">Stephanie told the program that she remembers waking up for the first time since the incident, after she was in a coma for two weeks, in bits and pieces.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was full of tubes and surrounded by medical equipment and in a very small room with lots of noises. Those things will always stay with me, I don’t think they will ever leave. It’s just things you don’t forget,” the 26-year-old said.</p> <p dir="ltr">She said her recovery had been extremely difficult, especially in the early stages.</p> <p dir="ltr">I had to start from scratch like a baby. Sitting upright, getting out of bed, taking my first few steps, even feeding myself – I had to relearn all of those skills from scratch and they didn’t come easy at all,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was incredibly difficult.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There have been plenty of moments where I have wanted to give up, or I have just been in tears not wanting to do anything. But I do feel I have come a long way from day one.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Stephanie is now in the process of suing Royal Caribbean, the company that ran the excursion to the island on the day of the eruption, over the physical and psychological injuries she has suffered.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her lawyer, Peter Gordan, claimed that data from the weeks prior showed that the island was a “ticking time bomb”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It makes me furious. They let down so many people … So many people died needlessly,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I think Steph’s injuries are the worst I have ever seen. I don’t think I have ever met quite an exceptional person in the way she has battled on.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite the hardship she has - and continues - to overcome, Stephanie is looking to the future, telling <em>60 Minutes</em> she hopes to “go back to as normal a life as possible” and plans to return to working full-time, travelling and her social life.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I know I have got the support of so many people, and that helps me realise that this isn’t as scary as I feel it is,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-128a9a3c-7fff-1315-2a8e-5a18eb83ed58"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @stephaniecoral96 (Instagram)</em></p>

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“We were never, ever, ever, going to make it”: White Island survivor shares common question she is asked

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A survivor of the 2019 Whakaari White Island volcano eruption has spoken about one common question </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/insulting-question-white-island-survivor-stephanie-browitt-is-asked/D37UQKAUVDFZHU7SMUBPQNVSPM/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">she still receives</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, two years after the tragedy that took her father and sister from her.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Stephanie Browitt, her 21-year-old sister Krystal, and their dad Paul were on the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship visiting the island when it erupted on December 9.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Of the 47 people visiting the island that day, 22 died and 25 - including Stephanie - were severely injured. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After spending six months in hospital receiving treatment for burns affecting 70 percent of her body, Stephanie has shared her recovery process openly on social media.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a recent video she </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@stephaniecoral96/video/7051366147697937666?is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1&amp;lang=en" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">shared on TikTok</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Stephanie reflected on the most common questions she is asked - including why she, her family, and other victims “couldn’t jump in the water if it’s an island” during the eruption.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 280.90277777777777px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846894/edwxuvq4xm2y72lse5zkvymoza.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/437ac5f56d4f4e84a2dd4cb29e1e52e5" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Stephanie Browitt has taken to TikTok to explain why she and her family couldn’t escape the volcanic eruption that day. Image: TikTok</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Well as you can see, that’s us, circled, on the island that day, at 2.10pm. And the walls are extremely high up, and we are surrounded by rock,” she explained, with an image of the scene of where she and her family had been standing.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’re nowhere near the jetty, and nowhere near the ocean. We are as inland as you can get and under 140 metres from the crater.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“So my family and I were at the back of that line, and it was only about a two-minute walk, we had only just started walking back to the jetty.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She then showed what the same spot looked like just seconds later. </span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846893/dlqbmb5zn7eeztsmlxyhuuld3e.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/25d1aa725dbc4f9985ad36c06cd76439" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Up to a minute after the first photo was taken, Stephanie explains that the island was ‘consumed’ by ash. Image: TikTok</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This is the same camera only 40 seconds to a minute apart, and as you can see the island was already engulfed in ash and dust,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“So we were never, ever, ever going to make it to water. There was literally no chance for the group of 21 people I was with.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Browitt <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/they-were-taken-from-us-white-island-survivor-marks-second-anniversary-of-tragedy" target="_blank">marked the second anniversary</a> of the disaster in December last year, writing that she had “very mixed emotions” about the event which had “ripped” her family apart.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CXPVRu8P8c0/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CXPVRu8P8c0/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Stephanie Coral Browitt (@stephaniecoral96)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Today’s not only the day I survived the unimaginable, it’s the day I lost my dad, Paul and sister, Krystall. It’s the day that they were taken from us,” she wrote in a candid, lengthy post on Instagram.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“My accomplishments mean nothing to me knowing they aren’t shared with my sister and dad by my side. Every day I question why we couldn’t have gone through this extremely hard journey together, why they couldn’t be here also.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Today marks two years of accomplishments but also loss, pain and never ending grief. I miss and yearn for my family every day.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I love you so much dad and Krystal, so much it kills me.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In 2020, 13 parties were charged with failings in relation to the disaster by WorkSafe. All defendants have pleaded not guilty.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: @stephaniecoral96 (Instagram/TikTok)</span></em></p>

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EXCLUSIVE: “We inspire each other”: Stephanie shares Making It experience

<p dir="ltr">In episode three of<span> </span><em>Making It Australia</em>, Makers reminisced about their hometowns and happy place across two ‘Home Sweet Home’ challenges.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sai-Wai claimed victory in the Hometown Diorama challenge with her layered seasonal diorama crowned by a clay pup.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUHrxI_BMW8/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUHrxI_BMW8/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Making It Australia (@makingitau)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">In the Master Craft challenge, Makers were tasked with creating their very own happy place. Makers produced large-scale spaces - from bedrooms and daybeds to bathrooms and medieval man-caves.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sai-Wei won once again with her fantasy bathroom, complete with a mural, claw-footed tub, and plenty of candles.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844330/242088590_703945750525594_1603170910710106832_n.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/378f78e127c34af8955693128920b3ff" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Sai-Wai Foo / Facebook</em></p> <p dir="ltr">At the end of the challenges, Stephanie was the next to leave the show.</p> <p dir="ltr">She sat down with<span> </span><em>OverSixty</em><span> </span>and shared her highlights from the show, as well as an insight into what is happening with the eliminated Makers.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>O60: What was the highlight of being a Maker?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Everything. The days I had down at the tool shop, I loved more because I got to play with power tools. And I don’t often get enough time to do that at home unless I need to renovate something or do something.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>O60: [The show] must have really given you a chance to broaden your experience with other kinds of crafting tools and techniques.</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Definitely, because you’re mixing with crafters that have different abilities, and you just take from them, you learn from them, you share your skills.</p> <p dir="ltr">We inspire each other as well. And we played with different tools and used different techniques, and everyone was really nice in sharing what they already knew.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>O60: What surprised you most about your<span> </span></strong><strong><em>Making It</em></strong><strong><span> </span>experience?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">I feel it was a surprise how much I could pull off. I didn’t have as much confidence going in as when I came out.</p> <p dir="ltr">I didn’t realise what I was capable of when I had tools in my hands, because I don’t have as much time at home to do all that stuff because I’m really busy.</p> <p dir="ltr">But… to be playing things all the time for no reason [on the show] … I didn’t realise how much I could do given the tools [and given] all the time to experiment.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>O60: On the show your family inspired a lot of your creations, how did it feel to create a Happy Place just for you?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">That was a tough one to pick because I had to think, ‘What’s my happy place? It’s always my kitchen, I’m always making things. But if it wasn’t my kitchen, what could my happy place be?’</p> <p dir="ltr">It was funny because I like to sit and read cookbooks to get ready for my next thing in the kitchen. So my Happy Place is sitting there with my cookbooks having my cup of tea… and it’s always around having food.</p> <p dir="ltr">It was really exciting because it came back to food. … It was really nice to show off my teacup coffee table, and my teacup clock, and my tea bags as a little cushion.</p> <p dir="ltr">That is my thing, it’s just for me, a space [where] I can relax.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>O60: Can you tell us more about your measuring tape bangle?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">That is my good luck bangle from Spotlight. I actually bought that before I even got on the show and I’ve been wearing it ever since. I feel like it’s given me good luck.</p> <p dir="ltr">And I think I need to get it engraved [with] ‘Making It 2021’ because that’s my year.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>O60: What’s next for you after<span> </span></strong><strong><em>Making It</em></strong><strong>?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Well, I hope there’s something more waiting for me. I think the show was meant for a reason, it was given to me so I can do something with this opportunity.</p> <p dir="ltr">And I’m hoping I can do something with food, something like MasterChef or something with Spotlight.</p> <p dir="ltr">Something with food hopefully.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>O60:<span> </span></strong><strong>We have had some hints that eliminated Makers don’t fully leave the show, could you shed some light on what’s been happening?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Yeah, we’ve been in this big barn together with Susie and Harvey at the back, and I cook for them, Kat does the laundry, and Russell decorates the barn.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>O60: Last but not least, if you had the chance, would you do it again?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">In a heartbeat, oh definitely.</p> <p dir="ltr">It was the most amazing experience I’ve had. I would definitely do it again.</p> <p dir="ltr">I recommend everyone to try something like that in their life, it was amazing.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: makingitau / Instagram</em></p>

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Meet the world's newest royal baby

<p>The Luxembourg royal family has welcomed a new prince, Charles Jean Philippe Joseph Marie Guillaume who is second in line to the throne. </p> <p>The precious royal baby has been born to Crown Prince Guillaume and Princess Stephanie.</p> <p>On Sunday morning, a statement was released informing the public of the arrival of Prince Charles. </p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836020/luxembourg-royals.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/9c29bbc8251a45b8bc41f73cae20eb84" /></p> <p>The pair are also tipped to take over the Grand Duchy to celebrate the 21 canon shots that are fired from Fort Thuengen in Luxembourg city. </p> <p>Prime Minister Xavier Bettel congratulated Prince Guillaume and Princess Stephanie, whose child joins a long list of other royal cousins; Noah, Gabriel, Amalia and Liam. </p> <p>"The child weighs 3.19kg and is 50cm,” an announcement from the royal website revealed.</p> <p>"The Crown Princess and her child are both doing well.</p> <p>"The Crown Prince and the Crown Princess look forward to introducing him to the people of Luxembourg.”</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836018/luxembourg-royals-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ec99f27a51ab4d05a7f14bf17cf7bab3" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Prince Guillaume and Princess Stephanie. </em></p> <p>Guillaume, 38, will more than likely be the seventh ruler in the Luxembourg branch of the Nassau-Weilburg dynasty. </p> <p>36-year-old Stephanie comes from one of the oldest noble families in Belgium and became a Luxembourg royal upon their marriage in 2012.</p> <p>Grand Duke Henri has ruled Luxembourg since 2000.</p>

Family & Pets

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Princess Stephanie's son marries childhood sweetheart at stunning wedding

<p>Surrounded by love and warmth, the wedding ceremony of 54-year-old Princess Stephanie's son with Daniel Ducruet, Louis Ducruet, 26, to his childhood sweetheart Marie Chevallier, 26, was truly a special event. </p> <p>It was the first royal wedding at Monaco’s Cathedral since Louis's famous grandparents, Princess Grace and Prince Rainier, said their vows while surrounded by over 200 guests. </p> <p>The joyous event was one to remember for the groom’s family with his mother Princess Stephanie crying <span>before the ceremony even began, according to local newspaper </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://l.instagram.com/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.monacomatin.mc%2F&amp;e=ATMaOke22gRxQ1cE9mpz2AEPDnqJiQSY_kn9-xlR_xaU3WB7IgPOXXXmjoZoa_5Bek-fhcqFFpaFqi_1" target="_blank"><em>Nice Matin</em>.</a></p> <p>Glowing bride Marie arrived in a vintage Rolls Royce decorated with feminine pink and white flowers where she was pictured wiping away what appeared to be tears. </p> <p>The grandson to Hollywood icon Grace Kelly married his college sweetheart in a lavish two-day wedding that began on Friday. </p> <p>The bride wore three outfits for the joyous occasion – an ivory jumpsuit and white midi dress both designed by Rosa Clara, along with a<span> traditional bridal gown made of silk and Chantilly lace designed by Atelier Boisanger. </span></p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see the beautiful wedding of Louis Ducruet and Marie Chevallier. </p>

Relationships

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Princess Caroline reveals what Grace Kelly was like as a mother

<p>Princess Caroline, the eldest daughter of Prince Rainier of Monaco and Grace Kelly, has gotten candid for a new book and revealed what is was really like growing up with the screen star from Hollywood’s golden age as her mother.</p> <p>The eldest child of the Monaco royal family, Caroline and her younger brother, Prince Albert, have opened up about their childhood in new book <em>Albert II of Monaco, The Man and The Prince</em>, by Isabelle Rivere and Peter Mikelbank – and written in honour of Prince Albert turning 60 in March this year.</p> <p>The siblings have shared intimate details on the early years of their lives with their parents, with Caroline revealing one particular meaningful figure and influence during their childhood – their nanny, Maureen Wood.</p> <p>“For my brother and I, Maureen was a key figure in our life,” Caroline told <em>People</em>.</p> <p>“When we were little, we were probably closer to our nanny than to our parents.”</p> <p><img width="500" height="500" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7817674/princess-caroline-prince-albert_500x500.jpg" alt="Princess Caroline Prince Albert"/></p> <p>The royals were so attached to their nanny when they were young, that Princess Caroline and Prince Albert would beg Wood not to go whenever she left for her annual holiday during the summer.</p> <p>“We were sad for days,” Caroline admitted.</p> <p>“Most often than not, our mother would end up calling her to ask her to come home earlier than planned.”</p> <p>The revealing new book also shares a sweet anecdote about Princess Caroline, Prince Albert and Wood, who was also interviewed for the tome.</p> <p>One night when Prince Rainier and Kelly were out of town attending a royal wedding, their nanny let the children throw their own “gala dinner” at the Palace.</p> <p>“The Chef cooked a special menu, Caroline wore one of her mother’s gowns, Albert wore a uniform, and I wore a gown too,” Wood recalled.</p> <p>“Then we put on music and we danced.”</p> <p>Despite reports the prince and princesses had a rocky childhood, all three of Kelly’s children have respectfully carried on their mother's legacy of humanitarian work through the Princess Grace Foundation.</p>

Books

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Grace Kelly’s grandson gets engaged – will the wedding be as glamorous as hers?

<p>Another royal wedding is on the horizon!</p> <p>Monaco’s Princess Stephanie, the daughter of Grace Kelly, announced on Wednesday that her son Louis Ducruet, 25, is to marry his girlfriend Marie Chevallier, his college sweetheart.</p> <p>“Her Serene Highness Princess Stephanie has the joy to announce her son Louis Ducruet's engagement with Miss Marie Chevallier,” the statement from the Palace read.</p> <p><img src="https://imagesvc.timeincapp.com/v3/mm/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpeopledotcom.files.wordpress.com%2F2018%2F02%2Fchevalier-ducruet-2-2000.jpg&amp;w=1100&amp;q=85" style="width: 356px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>Louis is Stéphanie’s oldest child, her son with ex-husband Daniel Ducruet, who was once the princess’ bodyguard.</p> <p>Louis, who has no title but is twelfth in the line of succession to the Monegasque throne, is the first of Stephanie's children to get married.</p> <p><img width="371" height="546" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/02/21/15/497117F500000578-5418009-image-m-76_1519226252495.jpg" alt="Careers: At Western Carolina University, Louis earned a bachelor's degree in sports management while Marie studied marketing. They are pictured in a file photo" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-a957a26ff48713b6"/></p> <p>The engaged couple both attended Western Carolina University, in Cullowhee, North Carolina, where Louis earned a bachelor's degree in sports management and Marie studied marketing.</p> <p>They have been dating for around five years, with both posting touching engagement photos to their social media.</p> <p>The photo sees Louis down on one knee on a beach at the Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai in Hoi An, Vietnam, popping the question in a dapper white suit.</p> <p><img width="398" height="396" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/02/21/15/497109B500000578-5418009-image-a-81_1519226355474.jpg" alt="Nuptial: Princess Stephanie, 53, announced on Wednesday that her son Louis Ducruet, 25, is to marry his girlfriend Marie Chevallier. Louis and Marie are pictured in an engagement shot" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-fe21f3a80ee680ba"/></p> <p>“Let me introduce you the future madame Ducruet,” Louis said in his post. “She said yes and we are now engaged.”</p> <p>Marie wrote: “Proud to announce that, I said YES to the love of my life. I love you so so so much.”</p>

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Grace Kelly children photographed together

<p>After the death of Grace Kelly in 1982, the Princess Grace Foundation USA was created in her honour. Now, 35 years on, her three children with Prince Rainier of Monaco have reunited for their first public appearance together in years.</p> <p>Coming together for a celebration at the Theatre Princess Grace on the eve of what would have been their mother’s 88th birthday, Prince Albert II, Princess Caroline and Princess Stéphanie gathered for a rare photo together.</p> <p><img width="450" height="675" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/45703/img_0025.jpg" alt="Img _0025" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>The event included a screening of <em>The Country Girl</em>, which earned Princess Grace the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1955.</p> <p>In September, to mark the anniversary of her death, Prince Albert <a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2017/09/prince-albert-opens-up-about-the-death-of-his-mother-grace-kelly/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">gave a candid interview</span></strong></a> opening up about how his mother’s death impacted the family, describing the loss as “traumatic”.</p> <p>“It took a very long time for [Stéphanie] to recover from [the accident], and it was a very painful recollection for her,” Albert said.</p> <p>“It took a number of years for her to come to terms with that – the pain of being in that car with our mother and not being able to pull her out or to have a different outcome.”</p> <p>As for his father, Prince Rainier? He was a changed man. “It was pretty obvious that he was deeply affected and he wasn’t quite the same man as he was before the accident.”</p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2017/09/prince-albert-opens-up-about-the-death-of-his-mother-grace-kelly/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Click here</span></strong></a> to read more from the interview.</p>

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Stephanie Scott’s student breaks silence over her death

<p>Two years after beloved Leeton High School teacher <a href="/news/news/2016/10/stephanie-scotts-mother-honours-her-birthday/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stephanie Scott</span></strong></a> was tragically murdered, one of her students has spoken out for the first time about the impact his English and drama teacher had on not only his education, but his life as a whole.</p> <p>“She wasn’t just a teacher, she was so much more than that,” former student Adam Mitchell tells <a href="http://www.whimn.com.au/talk/news/exclusive-stephanie-scotts-student-talks-for-the-first-time/news-story/147ba2ecb786555c4c37142fa803e770?utm_content=SocialFlow&amp;utm_campaign=EditorialSF&amp;utm_source=whimn&amp;utm_medium=Facebook" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Whimn</span></strong></a>. “Her drama class was more than just another class in the school.</p> <p>“She had an infectious spirit and she was really able to connect with her students. She was only 10 years older than us but she was able to bridge that gap. I think fun is an understatement in terms of who she was.</p> <p>“She was just able to relate with children and she made it fun. Some lessons she could tell that the energy in the room was down and instead of making us sit down and do theory, we had to work on our pieces. She knew that it was more important to have a moment in the day where we could sit around and talk and play games. She let us all have a moment to express ourselves, to have a release so we could continue on with our day.”</p> <p>Scott was last seen on April 5, 2015. Five days later, her burnt body was found on the Cocoparra National Park. Her rapist and murderer, school cleaner Vincent Stanford, was sentenced to life in prison in October, just one day before what would have been her 28th birthday.</p> <p>Mitchell recalled a particularly poignant moment for him, when the then-26-year-old teacher approached him after class, sensing something was wrong. “It was the last period of the day and I walked out of the class a bit frustrated and annoyed and down,” he said. “She ran after me and said ‘Adam, Adam,’ and persisted until I stopped and spoke to her about it.</p> <p>“You can always spare time to be nice to someone, that's her defining message to me.”</p>

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Stephanie Scott’s mother asks public to honour birthday with tea and a Mint Slice

<p>One day after her killer was sentenced to life in prison, Stephanie Scott’s mother has called on Australians to join her and her daughter’s loved ones in a birthday tradition – a cup of tea and a Mint Slice.</p> <p>Today would have been Stephanie’s 28th birthday, but her life was tragically cut short by the violent and sickening actions of Vincent Stanford, who raped and murdered the beloved daughter, teacher and fiancée in April 2015, just days before her wedding.</p> <p>“Tomorrow we begin to celebrate Stephanie’s too short and amazing life,” Merrilyn Scott told reporters outside Griffith courthouse after Stanford was sentenced to life behind bars. “This should be her 28th birthday, the second one we celebrate without her. We will be having a cup of tea and a mint slice biscuit at three. Please join us.”</p> <p>Our thoughts are with the Scott family at this harrowing time. Rest in peace, Stephanie.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/10/six-year-old-girl-passionate-about-saving-the-planet/"><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Six-year-old girl passionate about saving the planet</strong></span></em></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/10/princess-mary-opens-up-about-private-heartbreak/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Princess Mary opens up about private heartbreak</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/10/tough-guy-grandpa-moved-to-tears-by-grandson/"><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Tough guy grandpa moved to tears by grandson</strong></span></em></a></p>

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