A model has shared details of her health battle but is determined not to let the diagnosis stand in the way of her career.
Char Borley, who has over 500,000 followers on Instagram, is well known within the modelling world, having graced the covers of Playboy and FHM, as well as being a former ‘Page 3’ girl.
More recently, the 41-year-old from Suffolk has seen great success as a ‘professional girlfriend’ to lonely men – with claims the business sees her rake in £50,000 a month.
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While the money is rolling in, Char has been dealing with a serious issue in private, after getting diagnosed with fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) – also known as chronic fatigue syndrome.
The condition was recently highlighted by Eastenders star Martine McCutcheon, who took to social media to share the “physical and emotional trauma” it has caused her.
Char can relate to this plight, saying she is “physically bedridden for weeks on end” and sometimes suffers such “tremendous” pain that it’s nearly unbearable to cope.
The mum is sharing her own story in the hopes that it will show others the realities of having a hidden disability and encourage people in a similar position to never give up on their dreams.
“I have no choice but to take more rest than others,” she said.
“I walk with an aid during difficult times but sometimes I can be physically bedridden for weeks on end.
“The pain is tremendous, it can feel unbearable.
“There is no cure; I will likely spend the rest of my life on painkillers and need assistance.
“But I refuse to let my disability define me or stand in the way of what I want to achieve.
“My fans adore me – my health doesn’t change that. If anything, they have been so supportive.
“They send over a huge percentage of their wages every month.
“I still earn £50,000 a month and now I’m on a mission to help others fulfil their dreams.
“It’s great that there is more support for people with ME but there is still so much to be done.
“It’s more common than people realise, so I find it heartwarming and brave that Martine discusses her condition so openly.”
Char claims it took doctors seven years to diagnose her, having only been told that she has ME in March this year, saying it’s a process that has been – and continues to be – “difficult”.
She said: “Unfortunately, it took seven years before I was diagnosed.
“Doctors are still running tests due to other suspected illnesses that they believe I might have.
“It’s difficult to cope with the unknown and constantly be going to appointments, but I am trying to stay positive.
“The earliest symptom, for me, was exhaustion.
“I had no idea what was going on and wasn’t recovering from everyday tasks as quickly as I normally would.
“And, of course, the searing pain in my muscles and bones, which often immobilises me.
“Despite everything, it’s a huge relief to finally have answers.”
“I rely a lot on my family for support and my team at work are also great.
“For instance, while on a business trip earlier this year, they helped provide me with therapy and 24/7 assistance.”
Aside from her girlfriend gig and being a model – she’s the cover model for Playboy this July – Char is also in the process of launching her own business.
The company is called xTakeMe and will help content creators like herself earn money.
Samantha Saint, a popular model who has 1m followers on Instagram, has already signed up to the project.
Char said: “It’s a girlfriend experience site designed to help and support our creators.
“Some of them have earned over $20,000 in their first month with us and landed huge cover deals with us.
“They sell their unique videos in our online store and chat with fans.
‘It’s the perfect time to launch this now, I’m filling an industry gap.
“I also personally help set these women up with publicity, as well as train and guide them.
“I am concerned that my health might deteriorate – it’s always a worry, but that’s why I do this.
“My aim is to help others but also financially secure my future and my family.”
While Char refuses to let her disability define her, it has impacted some aspects of her life.
She said: “I used to be in the gym every day and was a competitive bodybuilder, sponsored by some of the biggest companies in the world.
“I’ll never be able to do that again.
“Any inflammation affects me in a terrible way.
“But despite this, and other struggles from my disability, I live with ME and have an amazing lifestyle.
“Anyone can be a success if they stop dreaming and start doing.”
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