12 October 2022
We’re very proud to announce that actor Zoe Birkett has become Arthritis Action’s Charity Ambassador.
Zoe is known for being a finalist on ITV’s Pop Idol 20 years ago and is currently one of the leads in Moulin Rouge the Musical on the West End. She also recently celebrated her one-year anniversary of her hip replacement after living with severe osteoarthritis, just weeks before she started rehearsals for the show.
Zoe has lived with a bad left hip since she was 13 years old, when she was first diagnosed with osteoarthritis. Many people think that arthritis can only affect older people, however, this is not true – there are over 10 million people of all ages in the UK who live with the condition. Zoe was initially treated with 3 pins in her hip, which were later removed. Over time her pain increased as her bones rubbed against one another, until she had no choice but to replace the hip with a cemented titanium stem and hip socket, weeks before she began rehearsals for Moulin Rouge the Musical.
At the time, Zoe was one of the youngest people in the country to have this procedure and was determined to be can-canning on the West End stage as planned. During her rehabilitation, Zoe also planned her wedding with the ultimate goal of walking down the aisle in heels, which she accomplished with flying colours! In her words, the operation and her rehabilitation left Zoe feeling like she got her life back.
Discussing her operation, Zoe said: “What a year it has been since I had my hip operation in 2021! I feel like I have got my life back – not only professionally being able to high-kick my legs in the West End eight times a week, but also in my personal life with everyday tasks like picking up my young daughter and rediscovering my love of fitness. I’m extremely grateful to everyone at Chelsea Lister Hospital during my recovery and also the support and advice given by Arthritis Action, which gave me comfort in knowing I wasn’t alone and there are people going through the same issues I did.”