A Place In The Sun presenter Laura Hamilton has revealed she lives with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), a rare autoimmune disorder in which the immune system reduces platelet levels, leading to increased bruising and bleeding. The condition affects an estimated six in every 100,000 adults in the UK and is slightly more common in women than men, according to an NHS Foundation Trust.
Managing the Condition
The 44-year-old property expert told us she manages the condition well, though she has "to be mindful" about taking on too much as this could trigger a flare-up. "I could show you my legs, I've got a couple of bruises on my legs at the moment, but [I'm fine]," she shared. "Like I have low platelet count in my blood, and it just means that I bruise a bit more easily than probably other people normally would. I don't have it like so bad that I'm on any medication for it, I'm just mindful that if I ever get stressed, or like if I'm doing loads of physical stuff, like particularly hardcore decorating."
Busy Schedule and New Projects
Laura is currently renovating her new home in Mallorca and making adjustments to her UK house. She has also launched a YouTube channel covering property topics, which has attracted 22,000 subscribers so far. Alongside personal commitments, she is filming new episodes of A Place In The Sun, a show she has been part of since 2012, while raising her two children, Rocco and Tahlia.
Despite her packed schedule, Laura says she doesn't let the condition get the better of her. "It's an autoimmune disease, and I would say I don't let it affect my life," she added. She draws inspiration from her mother Lynn, who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis. "I've watched her never like let it [get to her]. She's just very full of life and carries on and I think there's a lot of people out there with a lot worse things," she shared. "I'm just mindful that I might end up with bruises, and sometimes I'll wear longer dresses on A Place in the Sun, because I don't want people to think, 'Oh, my God, like, what, what's happened to her legs?'."
Family History and Future Plans
In 2021, Laura and Lynn revealed they are not the only family members with an autoimmune disease, expressing concerns about Laura's daughter potentially developing one. "My brother's daughter [has] an autoimmune disease. She was diagnosed when she was four, she's 28 now," Laura shared on the Things I Told My Daughter podcast. "So I think it's definitely something in there and it seems to be the women," she added. "I hope Tahlia doesn't end up [with one], but then you can't think like that."
New episodes of her YouTube channel, Property with Laura Hamilton, drop Fridays at 5pm. Her new home brand, Laura Hamilton Home, will launch soon with curated wall art collections, available via www.laurahamiltonofficial.com and in stores soon.
