Latest news with #dwarfism
The Sun
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Heartbreaking moment Ellie Simmonds wipes away tears as she talks to her birth mum about why she put her up for adoption
ELLIE Simmonds was seen wiping away tears as she bravely listened to her birth mum reveal why she was put up for adoption. The Paralympian gold medalist, 30, was put into care at two weeks old after being diagnosed with dwarfism. 6 6 6 When Ellie was just three months old, she was adopted by West Midlands couple Val and Steve Simmonds. She only met her birth mother two years ago, after the swimmer explored her childhood in the 2023 documentary, Finding My Secret Family. In a follow to the Bafta winning doc, last night viewers watched Ellie Simmonds: Should I Have Children?. At the end of the powerful documentary brave Ellie chatted to her birth mother - who has remained anonymous - on the phone. The Strictly Come Dancing star wanted to finally ask her why she gave her up for adoption. Before she made the phone call, Ellie said to the camera: "In the two years since we've met, I haven't felt ready to talk to my birth mum about the reasons she placed me up for adoption." Her birth mother was then heard for the first time on TV, as she didn't appear on the first documentary. She then bravely talked about the impact of having Ellie adopted, and the devastating reason why she felt she had to make that decision. Remaining off camera, she said: "It's really quite traumatic. It's hard for you to hear. I don't want to in any way upset you. "You're making a decision at the wrong time of your life, because you've just given birth, your hormones are all over the place. You're physically not right, you're mentally not right." Ellie Simmonds Finding My Secret Family viewers break down in tears as she meets her birth mum for the first time Ellie's birth mum then revealed how after her daughter was diagnosed with dwarfism, cruel medics at the time said this would lead to ridicule "I went to a geneticist and she was very abrupt," she recalled. "She said, 'There you go, that's what your baby's going to look like.' "I remember coming back thinking, 'I don't know, I can't cope with this.' "It could have been explained in a nicer manner, because that was my life, you know, that was your life, that was us. "I mean, maybe there was no answers they could have given me, or maybe I wanted a magic wand." As she recalled this story for the first time, Ellie could be seen wiping away tears. Her birth mum candidly revealed how she struggled to look beyond Ellie's disability and said she "grieved" for the child she wanted her to be. 6 "To give your biological child away… it was momentous," she explained. "I just handed you over and that's something you really can never get over. "The guilt is horrendous. You live with it all the time." MEETING HER MUM Ellie met her birth mum for the first time at the end of her 2023 documentary. The reunion came after the Paralympian read an old letter handwritten by her mother in which she said she wished she'd had an abortion or that Ellie had died. With a social worker acting as an intermediary, Ellie wrote to her mum explaining she wasn't angry and that she wanted to get to know her. She sobbed as she read her mum's reply in which she said she had suffered with "guilt and self-hatred". 6 Ellie then went to meet her mum for the first time - but this wasn't filmed. Afterwards she said: "It was amazing. We spoke about everything over the last five hours. We've got the same sense of humour we were laughing so much. "I felt like her face was just like me. What touched my heart was that she thinks about me everyday and she always sees me as a daughter." 'AMAZING' LIFE Despite tearful moments in both documentaries, Ellie maintains she has had an 'amazing life' and has never felt anger towards her biological mum. She previously told us: 'I wouldn't be who I am today if my birth mother hadn't made that decision. "I could be someone so different and not have had such a positive life, being around people with different disabilities and going to the Paralympics and having all the opportunities my parents gave me.' Ellie's parents Val and Steve Simmonds adopted four other children, some of which also had disabilities. At 11, Ellie moved with Val to Swansea to train with Team GB.
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Ellie Simmonds breaks down in tears over her birth mother's confession as her moving documentary leaves viewers 'broken-hearted'
Ellie Simmonds left viewers 'broken-hearted' with her emotional documentary on Tuesday, as she broke down in tears during a moving conversation with her birth mother. In the film, titled Should I Have Children?, the Paralympian explores her fears around becoming a parent, and what it would mean if she were to have a child who inherits the genes for dwarfism. Whilst on this journey of whether or not to become a mother, Ellie decided to contact her birth mother, and ask her why she decided to give her up for adoption. Ellie's mother, whose identity has been protected by the swimmer, shared the abrupt way her condition was first revealed. She said: 'We went to a geneticist and she was very abrupt, said ''There you go, that's what your baby is going to look like.'' I remember coming back thinking, I can't cope with this.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Detailing the turmoil she suffered while giving birth to her daughter, Ellie's mother added: 'You're physically not right, you're mentally not right, it's a hard time to make a decision about anything. 'There was a lot in the background going on. I'd given birth on my own.' Ellie's mother then shared that her daughter's disability became 'all she should see,' and said: 'I grieved the child that I thought you should have been. It was absolutely horrendous. I left you and you were my baby. I just handed you over.' Breaking down in tears on the phone, she confessed: 'You really could never get over the guilt. The guilt was horrendous. So you live with it all the time. 'It's something that you'll have that you'll never forget. I thought about you every day. I think sometimes it was quite cowardly, to be honest.' While Ellie was noticeably quiet during the exchange, she could be seen wiping away tears during the call. The entire conversation left many viewers moved, with some praising Ellie for her work on the show. Posts on X included: 'This documentary is breaking me! @EllieSimmonds1 is so brave to speak out, and find out how things have changed. The conversation left many viewers moved, with some praising Ellie for her work on the emotional documentary 'Such an inspirational woman, who has achieved so much - 'there is ability in every disability' Having a year 3 class at our school named after you is a privilege;' 'There are so many superlatives I could use to describe #EllieSimonds. She is such a beautiful soul, both inside and out. Her documentary is so informative and poignant. #ShouldIHaveChildren;' 'I LOVE @EllieSimmonds1! What a woman ����❤️ your documentary is something to be incredibly proud of, as is all of your work for people with disabilities #ShouldIHaveChildren;' 'Ellie Simmonds is breaking my heart #elliesimmonds;' '#ShouldIHaveChildren amazing documentary well done #elliesimmonds �� so informative.' Following the call, Ellie seemed overcome with emotion, but later reflected on the exchange in a voiceover. She said: 'It seems like she held that guilt for a long time. That's sad isn't it? We put a lot of pressure on the mum in society. 'It's amazing that she's so honest and open talking about what she went through.' Ellie was adopted by Steve and Val Simmonds when she was three months old, and grew up with four older siblings.
The Sun
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Heartbreaking moment Strictly star Ellie Simmons' birth mother reveals why she gave her up
PARALYMPIAN and Strictly star Ellie Simmonds' mum reveals why she gave her up for adoption in an emotional new documentary. The athlete, 28, was put into care at two weeks old after being diagnosed with dwarfism, which cruel medics at the time said would lead to ridicule. 4 4 She was then adopted by West Midlands couple Val and Steve Simmonds when she was three months old. Ellie explored her childhood in 2003 documentary, Finding My Secret Family, and has now filmed a follow-up in which her biological mother speaks on camera for the first time. It comes as Ellie considers the impacts of starting her own family in Ellie Simmonds: Should I Have Children? Her mum revisits her own birthing experience and those early days of motherhood in the mid 90s. She remains off camera but is heard saying: "It's really quite traumatic. It's hard for you to hear. I don't want to in any way upset you. "You're making a decision at the wrong time of your life, because you've just given birth, your hormones are all over the place. You're physically not right, you're mentally not right. "There was a lot in the background going on. I kept the pregnancy a secret, I gave birth on my own. I went to a geneticist and she was very abrupt." Her mum candidly explained that she couldn't cope and wanted a magic wand to resolve the situation. She struggled to look beyond Ellie's disability and said she "grieved" for the child she wanted her to be. "To give your biological child away… it was momentous," she explained. "I just handed you over and that's something you really can never get over. The guilt is horrendous. You live with it all the time." I couldn't keep up with the kids at school, now I'm an inspiring Paralympian – it's pinch-me moment, says Ellie Simmonds Ellie met her birth mum for the first time at the end of her 2023 documentary. The reunion came after Ellie read an old letter handwritten by her mum in which she said she wished she'd had an abortion or that Ellie had died. With a social worker acting as an intermediary, Ellie wrote to her mum explaining she wasn't angry and that she wanted to get to know her. She sobbed as she read her mum's reply in which she said she had suffered with "guilt and self-hatred". Her mum also said that she had suffered a traumatic split from Ellie's birth father which seriously impacted her mental health. After the meeting, Ellie said: "It was amazing. We spoke about everything over the last five hours. We've got the same sense of humour we were laughing so much. "I felt like her face was just like me. What touched my heart was that she thinks about me everyday and she always sees me as a daughter." Nervous Ellie told how she chose not to show her mum on screen due to fears over how she would be perceived. 4 4 Despite tearful moments in both documentaries, Ellie maintains she has had an 'amazing life' and has never felt anger towards her biological mum. She previously told us: 'I wouldn't be who I am today if my birth mother hadn't made that decision. "I could be someone so different and not have had such a positive life, being around people with different disabilities and going to the Paralympics and having all the opportunities my parents gave me.' Val and Steve Simmonds adopted four other children, some of which also had disabilities. The family home had an outdoor pool, which energetic Ellie loved. She said: 'I had a great childhood. We're a very close family.' Her parents were open about her biological family, showing pictures of her mum, dad and older sister. Ellie would fantasise about what they were like, 'a bit like Tracy Beaker'. At 11, Ellie moved with Val to Swansea to train with Team GB. Two years later she became the youngest British athlete at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, winning two golds. But a busy career meant she never hunted for her birth family. Ellie said: 'When I was younger I thought about my birth mum a lot. 'But from 2006, when I competed in my first World Championships, to when I retired, I never wanted to delve into that because I needed to be focused. 'When I retired, though, I lost my identity and was thinking, 'What should I do now? Who am I as a person?' I realised I now had time to find out who I am.'
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Ellie Simmonds' birth mother explains why she gave her up in emotional phone call - as the Paralympian explores her own future family plans
Ellie Simmonds' birth mother explains why she gave her up in emotional phone call as part of her new documentary. The Strictly star, 28, revealed in 2023 for the first time that she was adopted when she was three months old and had now been reunited with her birth mother. The year before she decided to search for her blood family after finding out she had been put up for adoption at just 10 days old. Born with achondroplasia (dwarfism), Ellie was devastated to discover her mum wished she had died at birth after medics told her Ellie would be ridiculed and seen as 'evil' and 'stupid'. Ellie opened up about it in her first documentary series Finding My Secret Family, but now her second explores the journey of whether Ellie herself wants kids and is called Ellie Simmonds: Should I Have Children?. In a clip ahead of the show coming out next week Ellie says to her mother on the phone: 'I want to know what it was like for her to decide to put me up for adoption. The Strictly star, 28, revealed in 2023 for the first time that she was adopted when she was three months old and had now been reunited with her birth mother 'For her it was 30 years ago, but it's quite a sensitive, super emotional situation.' Her birth mother, who remains anonymous on screen, replies: 'It's really quite traumatic. It's hard for you to hear. I don't want to in any way upset you. 'You're making a decision at the wrong time of your life, because you've just given birth, your hormones are all over the place. You're physically not right, you're mentally not right. 'There was a lot in the background going on. I kept the pregnancy a secret, I gave birth on my own. I went to a geneticist and she was very abrupt. 'She said, 'There you go, that's what your baby is going to look like'. I remember thinking I can't cope with this. Maybe I wanted a magic wand.' She continues: 'All I could see was your disability. You can make excuses, but I really did struggle. I grieved the child that I thought you should have been. It was the biggest decision of my life. 'To give your biological child away… it was momentous. I just handed you over and that's something you really can never get over. The guilt is horrendous. You live with it all the time. Afterwards Ellie speaks to the camera: 'It seems that she held that guilt for a long time. That's really sad. 'We put a lot of pressure on the mum in society. It's amazing that she's so honest and open. I think people's fear of a disability is actually a fear of what's inside of them.' Back in 2023 when her first documentary aired Ellie told how she understands why her birth mother did what she did due to misinformation given at the time including how expensive it might be to care for a child with disabilities. She told The Guardian ahead of her documentary about adoption: 'When you've just had a baby, you're vulnerable, you're emotional, there's a lot you're feeling. 'To find out the child's got a disability, and then to be given this information … You are fearful. It's that unknown. Even now, a child with a disability, you're told they're expensive, they need more support. 'I put myself in her shoes. From the records, she was going through a lot mentally – I know more now – and she was on her own. Yes, I was upset, but I was also open to it.' During the chat she also opened up about what it was like to meet her birth mother for the first time. Ellie told how at the start she was 'very, very nervous' but as soon as they saw each other they just hugged and cried before chatting for five hours. She also gushed about her adoptive parents Val and Steve Simmonds saying that her parents brought her up in a 'positive manner' and were very accepting of who she was. Ellie said: 'If I didn't have my parents, I wouldn't be the swimmer or the person that I am today. They gave me that opportunity and they put me on that journey.' She said in her ITV documentary: 'Until now, it's never emotionally affected me, it never made me feel rejected or ask why do my birth parents not want me. 'I've been so focused on the future and never thought about it.' What is Achondroplasia? Achondroplasia is a form of short-limbed dwarfism. The word achondroplasia literally means 'without cartilage formation'. However, the problem is not in forming cartilage but in converting it to bone, particularly in the long bones of the arms and legs. All people with achondroplasia have short stature. The average height of an adult male with achondroplasia is four feet, four inches, and the average height for adult females is four feet, one inch. Characteristic features of achondroplasia include an average-size trunk, short arms and legs with particularly short upper arms and thighs, limited range of motion at the elbows, and an enlarged head with a prominent forehead. Fingers are typically short and the ring finger and middle finger may diverge, giving the hand a three-pronged (trident) appearance. Health problems commonly associated with achondroplasia include episodes in which breathing slows or stops for short periods (apnea), obesity, and recurrent ear infections.
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Ellie Simmonds reveals how she agonises whether to have children - as she fears passing on the genes that gave her dwarfism
Ellie Simmonds has taken on the agonising decision about whether or not she should have children - exploring the complications of passing on a fatal version of dwarfism. The five-time Paralympic gold medallist, will look at why she might have to genetically engineer a foetus in her latest project for ITV called Ellie Simmonds: Should I have children? The OBE and MBE will also consider the issues facing parents who are told their children will be born with disabilities. Ms Simmonds, 30, has the least impaired version of achondroplasia (the official name for dwarfism) and her life has certainly been one of vast achievement. From winning two golds aged 13 at the 2008 Beijing Games, appearing on Strictly Come Dancing in 2022, and becoming a sports pundit, her disability hasn't held her back. But her dwarfism is relevant to any future decisions when it comes to starting a family because, as she says, 'I already know that gene changes led to my dwarfism and if I started a family, there would be a chance that I'd pass it on.' 'There could be complications with the spine, bowing of the legs, which can lead to reduced walking,' she explained to The Times. In the past six months, Ms Simmonds has visited a clinical geneticist who specialises in achondroplasia. In her latest project, the OBE and MBE will consider the issues facing parents who are told their children will be born with disabilities The geneticist, Dr Melita Irving, advises on pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT), a technique that identifies genetic defects in embryos before they are transferred to the uterus. Parents who choose to use PGT must commit to only a 'normal' embryo being placed back in the uterus. That means if a couple with dwarfism chose to do this, their baby would not have dwarfism. Ms Simmonds is currently single, living alone in her north London flat after breaking up with Matt Dean, who also had achondroplasia. She has done a fertility test, which showed it is good and in the documentary confesses that she is unsure about whether or not to have children. Like most women in their thirties, she considers whether she will freeze her eggs, be a mother or even adopt, just as she was adopted by a loving family near Walsall. 'My indecision is more about being a woman than about my disability,' she said. If Simmonds were to parent with an average-sized partner, their baby would have a 50 per cent chance of having achondroplasia. But if her partner also had achondroplasia. There would be a 25 per cent chance of an average-sized child There would then be a 50 per cent chance (the same odds as with an average-sized partner) of what is medically referred to as 'single dose dwarfism', which Ms Simmonds has. And a 25 per cent chance of 'double dose dwarfism', from which foetuses or babies do not develop or survive. For someone that is so proud to be a part of the disabled community, the decision to undertake PGT to prevent the possibly devastating outcome of 'double dose' dwarfism is an impossible dilemma. 'It would depend if [the father] was an individual with dwarfism or a non-disabled person,' she said. 'I'd never heard of PGT before now. But now I feel educated. I know it's there for me [if I want it] and to prevent the trauma of a double dose.' In 2023, Ms Simmonds released a documentary where she tracked down her birth mother - it was so powerful the film won a Bafta. Her birth mother, who was badly served by post-natal care, gave Ms Simmonds to her adoptive parents at just 10 days old in Aldridge near Walsall. Ms Simmonds has now built a relationship with her birth mother and is a powerful advocate for disability rights, who is entering her thirties as a powerful woman. During her stint on Strictly Come Dancing she wanted to inspire others, aiming to give more representation to the dwarfism community. At the time, the athlete praised her partner Nikita for helping to dispel myths that dance isn't for everyone. And for 'changing lives' of viewers with disabilities who may have believed that they couldn't dance.
