Living Proof: Our Beginnings
Living Proof was founded by Penny George in summer 2022.
Along with Dan Hindsley, Penny produced Living Proof's two short films (Stories of Hope) about recovery from chronic pain and from ME/CFS.
Meet our Team
Claire Birnie
Co-Director
Claire endured over two decades of chronic pelvic pain beginning in her twenties, receiving only the diagnosis of 'vulvodynia', which did not help at all in providing guidance for recovery. After an extensive search around the world for a solution, and trying many different drug treatments and therapies, she was introduced to the work of Dr John Sarno and started to explore the mind-body approach. She made a full recovery over time, and is passionate about sharing the information that was key for her - and for other sufferers to know that there is support available and recovery is also a possibility for them.
Sarah Howarth
Co-Director
Sarah was diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis in her early 20s. She experienced 24/7 pain for over a decade, which frequently left her bedbound. She exhausted conventional treatments (medications, surgeries and even a spinal stimulator) with little lasting relief. In her 30s she started ‘collecting’ additional chronic pains including debilitating pain in her surgical scars, pelvis and low back. Eventually, she connected the dots between her chronic symptoms and her nervous system - and embarked on a long and bumpy pain-reprocessing journey. Today, Sarah enjoys a full and active life and is passionate about helping others find that same freedom. She has certifications in pain reprocessing coaching and meditation teaching - and has taken Dr Howard Schubiner's practitioner training.
Our Clinical Advisors
Dr Sarah Hadfield
Medical Advisor
Sarah has been practising as a GP in the UK since 2008. For the past 10 years she has been training in methods regarding psychological and emotional health and exploring how these are related to the emergence and treatment of physical health conditions.
She now works with patients using the neuroplastic approach alongside her usual GP work. She is also working with other healthcare professionals in the UK to integrate the mind-body approach into NHS services and is involved in educating doctors about mind-body medicine. Dr Sarah is the author and presenter of our course for healthcare professionals: Medicine & the Mind-Brain-Body Connection.
Dr David Clarke
Medical Advisor
​​David is President of the Association for Treatment of Neuroplastic Symptoms in the US (Symptomatic.me), and Clinical Assistant Professor of Gastroenterology Emeritus at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon. He has successfully treated over 7000 patients whose pain or other symptoms were not explained by diagnostic tests, and has published three books on this approach to medicine - 'They Can't Find Anything Wrong!', 'Psychophysiologic Disorders', and most recently, ‘A Diagnostic Guide for Psychophysiologic Disorders’. He lectures across North America and Europe and has appeared on hundreds of podcasts and television/radio broadcasts, helping to spread the word.
Our Supporters
Dan Hindsley
Living Proof Ambassador
Dan has been part of Living Proof since day one. After being diagnosed with degenerative disc disease in his twenties, he struggled with chronic pain for 15 years. His life changed completely when he discovered the mind-body approach. He made a full recovery, becoming fitter and stronger in his forties than he ever was in his twenties. To prove to himself he was healed, he completed an Ironman 70.3 triathlon in 2019. Hoping to help others find similar relief, Dan co-founded the community group, Mind-Body Medicine with Penny George and together they created Living Proof's two short films. What began as Mind-Body Medicine grew into the Living Proof we know today, and Dan has continued to be involved as a volunteer. While he's trained as a personal trainer and is SIRPA trained, what Dan enjoys most is simply sharing his own experience. Whether he's helping to promote Living Proof, thinking up ideas for how we might reach more people, or connecting with those going through similar struggles, Dan hopes that his story might offer encouragement to others on their own recovery journey.
Charli Hilton
Story of Hope Ambassador
While completing her biochemistry degree, Charli experienced widespread chronic pain (including hip, back, jaw, stomach pain and severe dry eyes). After years of searching for answers, she found a full resolution of all her symptoms by learning and implementing a neuroplastic approach to recovery. Motivated by her own journey, Charli has dedicated her career to helping others find their way out of chronic symptoms. She blends principles of pain science and nervous-system education into her work, whether teaching Pilates classes, leading educational workshops, or supporting patients in clinical settings. Her approach empowers individuals to understand the role of the brain and body in chronic symptoms and to become active participants in their own recovery. Charli was featured in the first Living Proof film in 2021. Today, she works across multiple physiotherapy clinics, integrating accessible, science-based education into blended treatment programs through the lens of Pilates.
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Fiona Symington
Story of Hope Ambassador
Fiona lived with severe chronic pain from the age of 11 years old and then ME/CFS from age 23. She also experienced POTS, Interstitial Cystitis and Costochondritis. She recovered fully in late 2018 (using the neuroplastic approach), after 25 years of different debilitating symptoms. She has been fit and well since then. Today Fiona enjoys rowing, dancing, hiking, swimming, travelling, paddle-boarding, skiing and socialising. She is about to embark on training to become a Clinical Psychologist at Oxford. She is passionate about helping others recover. Fiona is the star of Living Proof's second short film (Story of Hope) about ME/CFS recovery.
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Vanessa Wilhelm
Living Proof Ambassador
Vanessa spent nearly eight years living with a wide range of debilitating chronic symptoms, eventually receiving diagnoses including CFS, POTS, MCAS, FND, and long covid. At her lowest point, she experienced almost 50 different symptoms that affected nearly every system in her body. After exhausting conventional medical treatments with little improvement to her quality of life, she discovered the neuroplastic approach through the work of John Sarno, Nicole Sachs, and Dan Buglio. This marked a turning point in her journey, leading to a gradual but powerful recovery and a return to a vibrant, fulfilling life. Now passionate about empowering others on their healing paths, Vanessa shares her lived experience and knowledge with those navigating similar challenges. She is currently training as a Holistic Life Coach and Mindbody Practitioner, with a mission to support and guide others toward lasting wellbeing.
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Jennie Toomey
Living Proof Ambassador
Jennie experienced a decade of chronic musculoskeletal symptoms, ranging from chronic tennis and golfer’s elbow, sacroiliac joint pain and chronic bladder pain to burning feet and heels. She received a diagnosis of fibromyalgia amongst numerous others. After spending an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out and fix her symptoms, Jennie fell into initial recovery after a challenging period of her life forced her to deep dive into compassionately changing the way she approached her inner and outer world. She later applied more mind-body principles and now works as a Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist for chronic conditions in the NHS. She also provides private coaching to help clients harness their own power to ease and recover from chronic neuroplastic symptoms.
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Dr Lara Sabella
Living Proof Ambassador
Lara suffered from myofascial pain syndrome for many years, along with other troubling symptoms such as acid reflux, tension headaches, dizziness and fainting, blurred vision, PTSD, OCD, anxiety, interstitial cystitis, and chronic fatigue. After trying numerous conventional and alternative therapies without lasting relief, she discovered the science of neuroplasticity through an online forum. She learned that her symptoms were connected to the difficulties she had faced throughout her life, which set her on a transformative journey toward recovery. As part of the purposeful life she set out to build, Lara passionately shifted her focus - and her career in retail pharmacy - toward spreading awareness of this life-changing approach. She now helps others recover from neuroplastic pain and symptoms as a chronic pain coach based in Lebanon, and collaborates with others who share the same mission.
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