Laura Thomson was diagnosed with Raynaud’s at the age of 35. She discovered she had the condition when she started feeling cold and noticed her hands and fingers turning white, followed by pins and needles, when exposed to the cold. Her Raynaud’s is classified as secondary, as she also suffers from fibromyalgia, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, hypothyroidism, along with asthma.
Laura was formally diagnosed by her general practitioner, who was supportive of her medical needs. She had previously seen a rheumatologist who dismissed most of her symptoms, attributing them to her Fibromyalgia (dismissive doctor sound familiar?). Laura had some prior knowledge of Raynaud’s due to one of her children having the condition and, once diagnosed herself, started seeking more information about it online.
Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, Laura Thomson is a professional footgolfer. For those not familiar with the sport, it’s similar to regular golf, but instead of using a club to send a small ball into a hole, players kick a football into a larger sized cup. She’s quite an accomplished athlete, winning many individual and team honors for Scotland and Team GB (Great Britain).
In her professional footgolf career, Laura has faced several challenges due to her Raynaud’s, particularly in cold weather. To overcome these issues, she has avoided training or playing in extreme cold, and has added warm clothing, including a snood, gloves and beanie hat to her kit.
In her everyday life, Raynaud’s has affected her ability to work in the cold for long periods. As an Early Years Practitioner, her job requires spending one week a month outside with the school children which can be challenging, particularly in cooler, wet and windy months. It’s also made it more difficult to enjoy bowling, as you unfortunately can’t play the game wearing gloves!
Her friends, family, and fellow golfers have been supportive of Laura’s Raynaud’s challenges, making sure she stays warm when needed. Laura takes various steps to prevent and alleviate Raynaud’s symptoms, including keeping warm as much as possible, using hot water bottles, enjoying hot drinks, turning up the heat at home and in the car, plus surrounding herself with warm bedding and clothing. Definitely stress, along with extreme cold outdoors can trigger flare-ups for her.
Laura experiences Raynaud’s symptoms in her hands/fingers, feet/toes, and nose. She travels internationally for pro footgolf games and finds warmer climates more beneficial for her condition compared to the fluctuating temperatures at home in Scotland.
Laura learned about the Raynaud’s Association through a Google search and approached us for our interest in becoming her pro footgolf charity partner this season for raising awareness of Raynaud’s. Of course, we said “Yes!”
She advises other Raynaud’s sufferers to identify their triggers and take measures to prevent attacks. She attributes her positive and proactive approach to coping with Raynaud’s to maintaining a healthy spirit that translates to a more healthy body. She stays quite active, in addition to footgolf and bowling she spends time at the gym, works out with a personal trainer and enjoys swimming. Her routine includes lots of exercise, stretching, eating healthy, drinking 2 liters of water a day, getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night, and setting goals for each day.
Laura emphasizes that no barrier should stand in the way of achieving your goals – including Raynaud’s – and encourages a maintaining a positive mindset.
These profiles are part of our newly launched Raynaud’s Warrior series. Stay tuned for more information about our Raynaud’s Warrior feature and stories like this one from Laura Thomson. To tell us your story for possible publication, please share it on our Tell Us About You Form.
