'I just lost the purpose, why was I living. I was a burden to people, rather than the matriarch of the family, which I was known as.'
A Lancashire woman - along with her two friends who were infected by contaminated blood products - have spoke about meeting.
All three women have spoken about how unwell they were between infection and treatment, with some feeling poorly during treatment and afterwards. Ms Leahey said she took early retirement as she felt "extremely tired" before her infection was discovered. "There’s the good and there’s the bad, there’s the positive moments to share, you know, we’ll talk about the grandchildren and things like that, but we’ll also be there for each other to know exactly, when you’ve got a bad day and you’re feeling completely zonked out, the negative thoughts, the worry that what is next, you know, are we going to be the next statistic and not be at the next meeting.
In total, eight friends have kept in touch and have "stuck together" throughout the ordeal. Ms Wathen, Ms Edgington and Ms Leahey spoke to PA during a social visit to London with their friend Christine Burney, whose husband, Peter, died after being infected with hep C. She went on to say "it was the validation" of sharing similar experiences of medical battles that at points seemed inexplicable.
"And I think it put my own story into perspective." Ms Leahey said she lost purpose when she was struggling with treatment, but found it was renewed in the support group she discovered.
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