The TV star and author, 57, has suffered with depression since childhood. She reveals how she copes with her episodes and how she is looking forward a bright and surgery-free future.

The man, known only as Jason (inset), from Vancouver, uploaded a video to Youtube of his unique - and dangerous - method of draining his ganglion - a fluid-filled cyst. He asks his sister-in-law to put a needle into the grape-sized swelling on his wrist. Then, holding the needle with a pair of pliers, she hammers it deeper into the swelling using the handle of a screwdriver (pictured, centre). As she does this, Jason cries out in pain. He then removes the needle and squeezes the growth, and a see-through, jelly-like liquid emerges, rolling into a ball. Doctors say this method is not advisable, as ganglions do not usually require treatment - and popping them only makes matters worse.

Brenda Finn, 30, from London, developed alopecia at 14 and says it destroyed her confidence. Her body hair and fingernails fell out and she was forced to wear a wig. This meant she was bullied and nicknamed 'cancer girl' at school, and dropped out when the bullying became too bad. She was home-schooled, but became so anxious and depressed she rarely left the house (she is pictured left). But a new job working with children, who accepted her wig, boosted her self-esteem. She then had a £300 procedure to tattoo eyebrows on, which she said made her look more 'normal'. This gave her the confidence she needed to face the world again (pictured centre and right). Now, she is calling for medical tattooing to be available on the NHS, as she says it could have saved her years of pain, and saved the NHS money in terms of treating her mental illness. She said: 'Getting my eyebrows back has done for me overnight what psychotherapy and anti depressants could not. The incredible difference it has made to me is why I think eyebrows should be available on the NHS and I hope that I can help make a difference to other sufferers.'

Doctors at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton, right, told Elizabeth Dawes, 39, left, a biopsy had shown she was suffering aggressive breast cancer and needed immediate surgery and chemotherapy. The mother-of-one was also told she would need a further procedure to correct 'deformities' to her breasts caused by the first operation. But four days later, Ms Dawes was asked to attend an appointment with her consultant. There, he revealed there had been a mix-up with her hospital notes and those of two other patients, - she had in fact, never had the disease. She said: 'I am absolutely appalled at what I have been through and am still struggling to comprehend how this could even happen.' The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust has admitted liability and said 'no other patient received inappropriate treatment as a result of the incident'.

RJ Jackson, four, from Las Vegas, is one of only 70 people in the world who suffers Netherton's syndrome, an extreme form of the disease ichthyosis. His skin appears red and inflamed, and is often covered in dry skin that appears like scales on his body. His mother Valerie Jackson (left) has to regularly cover him in creams to try and prevent his skin drying out. But while out shopping recently, Mrs Jackson was suddenly surrounded by armed police, who had been called by a member of the public. They reported fears Mrs Jackson had been abusing RJ. 'It just shows the extent of people's ignorance,' Mrs Jackson said.

Rochelle Holmes, 26, of Bishop Auckland, County Durham, began gaining weight at school when she went out to bars and clubs with her friends and drank sugary alcopops. She also ate several takeaways each week and smoked 20 cigarettes a day. By the age of 17, she was a size 20, and by 23 she was a size 24 (left). But it was only after a stark health warning - having become breathless climbing a slight of stairs to a medical centre - that she decided to lose weight. There, a nurse took her blood pressure and told her she was at risk of dying of a stroke at just 23. Determined to avoid this, Miss Holmes joined Slimming World, swapping takeaways for healthy meals, and joining Zumba and kettlebell classes. Now a slim size 12 (right), she said: 'I'm proof that you can succeed and I want to feel healthy for the rest of my life.'

RJ Jackson, four, from Las Vegas, is one of only 70 people in the world who suffers Netherton's syndrome, an extreme form of the disease ichthyosis. His skin appears red and inflamed, and is often covered in dry skin that appears like scales on his body. His mother Valerie Jackson (left) has to regularly cover him in creams to try and prevent his skin drying out. But while out shopping recently, Mrs Jackson was suddenly surrounded by armed police, who had been called by a member of the public. They reported fears Mrs Jackson had been abusing RJ. 'It just shows the extent of people's ignorance,' Mrs Jackson said.

Ali Maffucci, 28, from New York, lost 11 kg, (24 lbs) in three months by replacing pasta, rice, and bread with spiralized vegetables (she is pictured, left and right, before and after her weight loss). She went from a size 12/14 to a size 8/10 (pictured centre). Before changing her diet she said she felt tired and lethargic, but now she feels happier and more energized than ever. She said: 'My focus during the days is so much stronger now too. Without that old laziness anymore I get so much more done now.'

Geoff Whitington, 63, (left) from Ashford, Kent, was made so sick by obesity-related type 2 diabetes that he was told he may need a leg amputated. His sons Anthony (main, left) and Ian (far right) helped the father-of-four shed six stone and overhauled his health. He is a man transformed and loves to cycle, never eats take-aways and counts kale and couscous among his favourite foods. Doctors say he is no longer diabetic - and he is off medication.

Sarah and Mark Brennan, from south Wales (pictured) describe the joy of becoming parents to seven-month-old Eryn Elisabeth after a series of miscarriages that left them traumatised and fearing they'd never have a family of their own. Although she was premature and weighed just 3lb 11oz, mum Sarah, 36, and her technician husband, 35, say their daughter is thriving.

Kerrie Armitage, 28, from Leeds, suffers from the ultra-rare condition aquagenic urticaria - an allergy to water. She was diagnosed two years ago after her skin erupted in agonising blisters (right) when she got caught in a rain storm. Now the 28-year-old has had to stop kissing her husband Peter (inset) - because the saliva on his lips can trigger a painful flare-up. The mother-of-three said: 'Because his lips are wet, the saliva can make me react. He's got to make sure his lips are dry before he gave me a kiss. It's not every time - I can do the same thing time and time again and not react, but then I'll do it once more and get a flare-up.' Her condition has become so bad that her hugging her children can trigger an episode, as their body heat makes her sweat - and she has trained herself not to cry.

Until a year ago, life for Angela Field (pictured) was good. She was dedicated to caring for her husband Elliot and two young sons Aaron (right), 9, and James (left), 6. Then came the devastating news: though she'd never smoked, she had inoperable lung cancer. Since then, there have been moments of despair but Angela, 40, is determined to live as normally as possible for the time she has left. Today, with inspiring determination, she will once again return to race the London Marathon after having run it in 2003 - where she will walk the entire course dressed as Superwoman in order to help raise money for the Cancer Treatment and Research Trust.

Alison, 43, from Gloucestershire was left with an imploded breast that looked 'like a croissant' (bottom left) after she succumbed to a severe infection following breast augmentation surgery six years ago. Since the botched operation, she has had 12 further surgeries, none of which have managed to fix the damage. Now she has appeared on reality show Extreme Beauty Disasters in the hope surgeon Vik Vijh (top right) will be able to fix the mess.

Bettie Jo, from Houston, Texas, tipped the scales at 47 stone (660lbs) but found it difficult to lose weight without the support of her husband Josh, she reveals on tonight's My 600lb Life on TLC. The 24-year-old (right) was housebound and unable to tend to her own needs and lived off a diet of fried chicken. Bettie Jo, who now weighs 35st 8lbs (500lbs) thanks to surgery, reveals on the show that Josh (pictured with her left) had become her 'caretaker' - helping her go to the toilet and into the shower, and putting powder between her rolls of flesh afterwards to stop her skin from chafing.

Kerrie Armitage, 28, from Leeds, suffers from the ultra-rare condition aquagenic urticaria - an allergy to water. She was diagnosed two years ago after her skin erupted in agonising blisters (right) when she got caught in a rain storm. Now the 28-year-old has had to stop kissing her husband Peter (inset) - because the saliva on his lips can trigger a painful flare-up. She said: 'Because his lips are wet, the saliva can make me react. He's got to make sure his lips are dry before he gave me a kiss. It's not every time - I can do the same thing time and time again and not react, but then I'll do it once more and get a flare-up.' Her condition has become so bad that her hugging her children can trigger an episode, as their body heat makes her sweat - and she has trained herself not to cry.

Shaun Appleby's heartbroken mother Satish said her son's lifestyle should be a warning to others. The teenager, from North Tyneside, died aged just 18 after years of gorging on junk food and sitting at his computer for up to 10 hours a day. Over the years his weight peaked at nearly 20st. But five years later, just as he began to shed the weight, he was found dead in his bed. A coroner recorded Shaun's death as being due to sudden adult death, noting he was also obese. Research has shown that excess weight increases the risk of sudden cardiac death, as does type 2 diabetes, which is related to obesity. Today his heartbroken mother said: 'My message is for children to get out more, meet other kids, get more fresh air and get off their computers. It's not healthy to be on a computer for hours and hours every day. If this saves one child then Shaun's death is not wasted. No parent should be going through what I am.'

Yamini Karanam, 26, has dubbed the tumour, circled inset, her 'evil twin sister', adding 'she's been torturing me for the past 26 years'. She underwent surgery at the Skullbase Institute in Los Angeles to remove a mass, initially diagnosed as a pineal brain tumour. But Dr Hrayr Shahinian, the expert operating on Miss Karanam, discovered the growth was in fact an embryonic twin, complete with bone, hair and teeth. Known by its medical name, a brain teratoma, the tumours are very rare. Indeed, Dr Shahinian, who has removed around 7,000 brain tumours has seen just two teratomas in his career.

A series of images showing the heartbreak, brutality and horror of the Ebola virus as it tore through West African communities (pictured left) has taken the top prize at the world's largest international photography competition. The Sony World Photography Award winners were announced at a gala in London last night, where dozens of stunning photographs showcased people, communities and landscapes from around the world. Pictured top right is a pyrograph on Mount Kenya, while bottom right is a group of children playing football in one of the most dangerous neighbourhoods in Argentina.

Tiny Teddy Houlston (pictured left with his mother) was alive for less than two hours before he died on April 22 last year. His parents Jess Evans, 28, and Mike Houlston, 30, from Cardiff, were told during the pregnancy that he suffered from rare brain condition anencephaly - which stops the brain and spine developing properly - but were determined that his life would not be wasted. Despite their heartbreak over the loss of their son, the couple allowed medics to carry out pioneering surgery on their baby so he could go on to save the of an adult man, 233 miles away in Leeds, who was suffering from renal failure. They managed to spend a few precious hours with Teddy before his death, during which he was reunited with his twin Noah outside the womb (right). The parents, who were childhood sweethearts, said that their son 'lived and died a hero'. Teddy's twin Noah is now a healthy one-year-old living at home with his parents and his sister Billie, three (pictured together inset). The family have shared Teddy's story in the hope people will donate to the charity, 2 Wish Upon A Star, which aims to improve bereavement services for parents who lose babies or young children.

Rajpal Singh, 34, from Bathinda in India's western state of Punjab, went to many different medical centres complaining of a stomach ache, but doctors were baffled as to the cause. Finally, an X-ray revealed a mass of foreign objects in his stomach (the scan is pictured top right, and some of the coins he swallowed, bottom right). Mr Singh had sunk into a depression and began eating metal objects including coins, iron nails, magnets, nuts and bolts and screws. Doctors carried out a nine-hour operation to remove the metal from his stomach (left is an image revealing the objects, taken from a camera put down his throat into his stomach), but he will still need another procedure as they couldn't get it all out in one go.

Chris Rowe, from Gloucester, was repeatedly told by doctors he was suffering a simple virus. He has since been diagnosed with an aggressive lung cancer that has spread to his liver and bones. The 31-year-old has been told his cancer is inoperable and has undergone gruelling rounds of chemotherapy in a bid to prolong his life so he can create memories with his young family. His wife, Kate, 28, is currently pregnant and due to give birth in June - they also have a three-year-old daughter called Sophia. He hopes that by sharing his story that others look out for the symptoms of lung cancer.

Samantha Rawcliffe, 40, from Morecambe, pictured left and top right with her husband Philip, was diagnosed with functional neurological disorder following the accident. It has left her confined to her home, and reliant on 32 drugs a day bottom right. She has since had to give up her job as a teaching assistant, and can no longer drive. She struggles to walk further than eight metres, and relies on a mobility scooter to get around. The 40-year-old spends most of her time confined to her home, and has to take 32 tablets each day to prevent choking fits and tremors. She said: 'I used to be the life and soul of the party and I've never been a miserable person but there is so much that I can't do and it's hard to take.'