Meg came into the world, in her own words, as “a floppy baby not able to do much.” She couldn’t cry. She couldn’t suck a bottle. At just ten days old, she was diagnosed with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS), which is a rare and complex genetic condition affecting approximately 1 in every 2,000 births in the UK.
But Meg has never let those early days define her limits. She has spent her life proving people wrong. And in September 2025, she took the biggest, boldest step yet – moving into Coppice Lodge, our residential service in Kidderminster, to begin a life of greater independence.
Understanding Prader-Willi Syndrome
PWS is caused by an abnormality on chromosome 15. The condition affects muscle tone, development, appetite regulation, emotional regulation and learning. It is, as Meg will tell you herself, rare enough to make her a genuinely “special and unique individual.”
Meg didn’t walk until she was four. She spoke later than her peers. She has navigated hormone therapy, learning differences, and the particular emotional intensity that comes with PWS. And yet she went on to pass her GCSEs in both Maths and English – something she once thought impossible. She has already achieved a level 3 qualification in Health and Social Care and will work towards completing an extension to this, with a dream of one day working with children in care settings.
“I have proved everyone that has said I’d never be able to do this. I have proved them wrong. And I am thriving in my life, achieving everything I’ve dreamed of and more”.
Meg had been living with her mum, but she knew that she needed more specialist support to live well. PWS comes with a powerful, neurological drive around food that is not a matter of willpower. Meg had begun researching her own condition extensively, and she understood what that meant for her future.
“I would eat myself to death without the right support to help me minimise my triggers,” she told her team – not as a cry for help, but as an honest, informed assessment of her own needs. That kind of self-knowledge is remarkable. And finding a team equipped to meet those needs, whilst respecting her dignity and independence, was everything.
The transition hasn’t been without its challenges. Meg’s mum found it hard to let go — as any loving parent would. But today, with healthy boundaries and a home of her own, Meg enjoys warm, happy family relationships, often meeting up to enjoy meals and days out.
"Meg's support plan was built entirely around who she is. Around her personality, her goals, her boundaries and her strengths. We never used the word 'diet'. We never used calorie counting. Instead, we worked with Meg to create a positive, empowering approach to food and health that felt like her own. The result has been a genuinely smooth transition and a young woman who is flourishing. She leads her own support plan. She sets her own goals. We're just privileged to walk alongside her."
The team at Coppice Lodge took Meg’s support seriously from the first day they assessed her needs. Support worker Lauren and registered manager Suzanne undertook detailed research into PWS specific nutrition, working to build a sustainable, joyful approach to food – without the anxiety inducing language of dieting.
Meg loves cooking, so her team sourced recipe books, carefully removed any brand names that might cause anxiety, and gave Meg the recipes to make her own. She created “Healthy Meals” – her own personal cookbook, now shared with housemates within Coppice Lodge. Their house chef was born!
Meg herself chose not to have free access to the shared kitchen – a decision that took real courage and honesty. The kitchen at Coppice Lodge has a fob lock, and Meg asked for hers to not be active. That is what genuine self-determination looks like.
Other goals achieved by Meg since moving into Coppice Lodge include:
She has also been in a friendly competition with Suzanne to see who could lose a stone first. Meg won. Suzanne owes her a day out.
Meg goes to the gym regularly with support from the team and her housemate Christian.
She and her boyfriend Caleb – who also has PWS and whom she met through PWS networks – support each other with real understanding. In April 2026, she attended the PWS Association’s annual conference in Coventry alongside Suzanne, connecting with peers, professionals and advocates across the country.
“My support team at Coppice Lodge are brilliant. They believe in me, celebrate with me, and have been there on the hard days, too. I am so happy in my new home, smashing every single goal I set for myself, and I'm just getting started. To Lauren, Suzanne and everyone at Coppice — thank you!"
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National Care Group is one of the UK’s leading adult social care providers. We support adults with learning disabilities, mental health diagnoses, acquired brain injuries, and autistic people, with services across England and Wales.
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