Student suffering from 'suicide disease' fighting to find cure to end killer headaches

Amy Cook, 21, suffers from Trigeminal Neuralgia which is seen as one of the most painful illnesses around
A courageous student who suffers from an illness known as suicide disease is fighting for a cure to end her killer headaches.
Amy Cook, 21, was devastated when she was diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN) - a rare nerve disorder which is one of the most painful illnesses around.
It is known as suicide disease due to the high number of sufferers who end their life.
For the last two years, Ms Cook has had sharp stabbing pains and a continuous ache in her left jaw and forehead.


Without a cure, Amy from Johannesburg, South Africa, revealed the diagnoses in February felt like a death sentence.
Her academic study and her social life have been affected as her grades have dropped and her personal relationships suffered as a result of the intense pain.
The desperate young woman is hoping to raise awareness and find a cure before it ruins her life completely.
She said: "When I first found out what was wrong with me I was devastated to know that there is no cure for this condition and I felt like my life was over because I'm so young.
"I can see why it's called the suicide disease. Sometimes I wake up and I think 'I hate my life'.
"It has almost taken over my life in a sense, because when it's really bad I cannot function."
Amy admitted the hardest thing was that before she was diagnosed many people thought she was lying.


She added: "I began noticing my friends were pushing me away because they felt like I was always complaining.
"People wouldn't believe me because I look healthy - they thought I wanted attention or I was making it up."
The accounting science student has been forced to live off copious pain killers and has ozone therapy to treat the pain.
But despite battling constant pain Amy is doing her best to remain positive.
She said: "Most people have no idea what TN is. If more people knew it would be taken more seriously.
"I have decided to raise awareness for it.
"It made me happy to know that I was not alone with this rare condition.
"I realised I had to accept it and I am able to stay positive because my mom has been very supportive.
"Because she is proud of me for doing what I can to create awareness.


"It actually makes me feel like this happened for a reason and part of a purpose for my life."
Amy hopes to become a chartered accountant and travel the world, after helping find a cure for TN