What is Kadeena Cox’s disability?

Kadeena has never let her condition hold her back. (Picture: ITV)

This year’s I’m A Celebrity cast haven’t had the easiest time of it so far – aside from the usual gruelling trials and camp conflict, they also had to evacuate after the setting, Gwrych Castle in Wales, was hit by Storm Arwen – forcing the show off the air completely.

Now they’re back on air and it’s business as usual – and one celebrity who’s been aiming to make a good showing in camp is Paralympic gold medalist Kadeena Cox.

Kadeena, 30, is very open about her disability, and aims to raise awareness of her condition – as well as helping to empower fellow sufferers.

The athlete was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2014 – with the condition being confirmed after she suffered a stroke.

Although she recovered from this and had physiotherapy, she then began experiencing burning sensations in her right arm, which eventually gave out to numbness throughout her entire body.

Kadeena has MS (Picture: Kiyoshi Ota/Getty Images)

Kadeena was again taken to hospital for testing – and this time she was diagnosed with MS.

However, she hasn’t let this diagnosis hold her back.

Having previously competed as an able-bodied athlete, Kadeena excelled on her Paralympics debut two years later and was one of the headline-grabbing stories of Rio.

During the Paralymipics, she became the first Brit to top the podium in two different sports in the same Games since 1984.

Following her Rio wins, she told the MS Trust in 2017: ‘I’d set out to go to Rio to become successful in two sports to show people across the world who have got MS, or other chronic conditions and invisible illnesses, that we can still achieve things.

‘It won’t be the same way as it used to be. But, MS is not the end of your life. It doesn’t put a full-stop after your name.’

Kadeena is the first Briton to top the podium in two different sports in the same Games since 1984. (Picture: Friedemann Vogel/Getty Images)

A spokesperson for the MS Trust told metro.co.uk: We wish Kadeena Cox the very best of luck for her time on I’m A Celebrity, this is a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness of multiple sclerosis. MS is an incredibly varied disease and impacts on each individually differently.

Kadeena will have an individual set of symptoms that are unique to her, including invisible symptoms like fatigue and altered sensations.

‘We hope the producers have taken the time to talk these through with Kadeena, to ensure her time on the show is a positive experience.’

What is multiple sclerosis?

The NHS says: ‘Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing a wide range of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance.

‘It’s a lifelong condition that can sometimes cause serious disability, although it can occasionally be mild.

‘In many cases, it’s possible to treat symptoms. Average life expectancy is slightly reduced for people with MS.

‘It’s most commonly diagnosed in people in their 20s and 30s, although it can develop at any age. It’s about two to three times more common in women than men. MS is one of the most common causes of disability in younger adults.’

What are Kadeena Cox’s MS symptoms?

Cox told the MS Trust: ‘I get a lot of muscle spasms, so mainly through my right arm and in my right leg, and then when I’m quite fatigued I get them in both legs and arms and that’s when I spend time in my wheelchair.

Kadeena was diagnosed with MS in 2014 (Picture: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

‘I also have altered sensations and a lot of pins and needles and burning. And then I also have problems in terms of memory and thinking, and just fatigue in general. A lot of my symptoms come when I’m fatigued.’

She explained that many of her symptoms are ‘quite invisible’, which increased the importance of ‘raising awareness so that people understand the symptoms that we have and people know about it, and they’re able to then make adjustments.’

Kadeena is confident that her disability will not hold her back on I’m A Celebrity – which has adjusted trials specially to enable her to compete.

‘I’ve always been a person who is more about what I can do rather than what I can’t do, but I have spoken with the team and we talked about ways in which we can adapt things and ways in which we can make sure I can do the trials without having to miss opportunities,’ she told Radio Times.

‘The team have worked so hard so I won’t feel like my disability will hold me back.’

I’m A Celebrity 2021 continues tonight at 9pm on ITV.

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