"Things could be a lot worse" is an old clich which is nevertheless very true. Most people, when they are feeling sorry for themselves, can have their sense of proportion restored if they learn of someone in a much more difficult situation.

The story of Glenda Hepple is one of those tales of multiple misfortune virtually guaranteed to dispel self-pity in the rest of us.

Mrs Hepple, a former nurse, began to suffer various pains at the age of 24 and spent the next ten years being told there was nothing physically wrong and that she must be mentally ill. It was only when she was taken to hospital after suffering a stroke that it was discovered she was suffering from a rare disorder which affects muscles, tendons and ligaments.

Her husband Andrew, who became her carer, died just over a year ago after suffering two brain haemorrhages, leaving Mrs Hepple totally incapacitated and with three young children to look after - a desperate situation by any standards.

It has been greatly eased, though, thanks to the intervention of Home-Start, the Shipley-based support group which helps families with young children overcome their difficulties. With their assistance, Mrs Hepple reckons she has got her life back on track.

So Mrs Hepple's tragic story has an ending which, while still far from happy, offers a salutary lesson: that organisations like Home-Start are vital to people who find themselves with no-one to turn to, and that those who volunteer to help can make a real difference to the lives of others.