Rachael Lloyd is no charity case.

She may be raising money to fund an operation which could dramatically change her symptoms from Multiple Sclerosis but she doesn’t want tea and sympathy.

“I have a friend who’s always saying ‘you’re such an inspiration’ I’m like ‘you’ll inspire my foot up your a***!’… I suppose I’ve got some pride issues to get over.”

Rachael, 23, was diagnosed in summer 2009, at the end of her second year studying linguistics at University of Central Lancashire. She has had to let go of her plans to go in to publishing and is finishing her degree part time.

MS is a neurological condition which causes, amongst others; chronic fatigue, brain fog, numbness in the limbs, muscle spasms and speech difficulties.

The front cover of the charity calendar

However, once Rachael started researching her condition she discovered that there may be other options to the drugs she was prescribed which only have a 33% chance of delaying the degeneration of her condition.

Chronic Cerebro-Spinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI) is a condition caused by a misshaping of the veins so that blood refluxes back in to the brain causing damage. It has been linked to MS sufferers, although the exact connection is unknown. It can be fixed by a simple operation but the government are not funding any research in to it so Rachael is trying to raise the £5,950 it costs to have it done privately at a hospital in Glasgow.

She isn’t doing it alone though.

Ever since Rachael was kicked out of her home in Penwortham at 18 following a troubled relationship with her parents her friends have become her support network. They’ve certainly pulled through for her.

On the back of the burlesque calendar that Rachael and 11 of her friends put together to raise money they proudly state: “we wouldn’t get our kit off for anyone else!”

Any extra money made from the calendar, special events and a sky dive by two of her friends will go towards raising awareness of CCSVI and funding the operation for other MS sufferers.

The Rachael’s Pin Ups calendars can be purchased from Ozone, the Frog and Bucket and online at http://www.etsy.com/listing/61930544/rachaels-pinup-calendar-2011