The Fermanagh woman walking on stage after 20 years of illness

A debilitating illness left Fermanagh woman Shelley Cowan unable to walk for more than two decades.

On Friday night she will step out into the spotlight as she stars in a musical at the Ardhowen Theatre in Enniskillen.

"I came home from school feeling it was like flu-like symptoms," Shelley told BBC News NI.

"I thought it was going to last 24 hours, but 24 years later and it's still here."

Shelley was 15 years old when she first felt unwell.

She had ME - chronic fatigue syndrome - and her condition rapidly got worse.

"My muscles just deteriorated more and more and within 18 months I was bed-bound and tube fed for the next 12 years."

Learning to walk again

She was cared for at home by her parents and over time her symptoms slowly improved.

"Gradually I just improved, bit by bit, and got able to be hoist-lifted and then I was wheelchair-bound for 10 years."

Even then she never expected to be able to walk again, until she visited the Buddy Bear independent school in Dungannon, which teaches children with cerebral palsy.

It is the only school in Northern Ireland to offer an approach called conductive education, which aims to teach children greater control over their movements.

The same techniques were used to help Shelley, retraining her brain to learn to walk again by finding new neurological pathways.

She said at first it took five people to hold her up and physically move her arms and legs for every step she took.

"It was some scene to see five people holding you up and directing you up and down their hall," she added.

Gemma Maguire Carrothers from Brightstarz said it would be very emotional when Shelley walked on stage

After many days Shelley said she could see herself making progress, but when she took her first step without any help it came as a surprise.

"It was very surreal because I always wanted to improve.

"I was fit to do it, but to know that it happened and it was myself that did it and then I started to think: 'How did I do that?'

"It was unbelievable, unbelievable."

Brendan McConville from the Buddy Bear school praised Shelley's hard work.

"It's not a miracle if you work. focused on what you're doing," he added.

"Once Shelley realised she was making progress with us in small things then she worked with us when we tried to get her to stand."

Shelley will be supported on stage by friend and castmate Kirsty (r)

It was an emotional turning point in Shelley's life.

"It was at that point that I I realised that life was maybe going to get better and that it was possible to get out of the chair and hopefully have a bit of independence back."

The condition has also affected Shelley's eyesight as well as her memory.

Having developed ME at such a young age, Shelley left school with no qualifications.

"My memory went blank, I remember nothing from school.

"So my mum had to re-teach me how to spell and count, spell my name, my memory was so bad.

"That was one thing I really wanted to do, so education is a major thing in my life at the minute."

With the help of South West College and voice recognition technology she is studying an international business masters degree.

Shelley and some of her Fermanagh Brightstarz castmates

This weekend Shelley will show off her love of musical theatre on stage with the cast of Fermanagh Brightstarz at the Ardhowen Theatre in Enniskillen.

She has appeared on stage before, but three years ago she was in her wheelchair.

Tonight she will walk out in front of the audience supported by her carer Kirsty.

"It's going to be nerve-wracking because I have to think: 'How do I walk?' Never mind saying my words and remember them.

"With Kirsty's help she's going to be supporting me across the stage and getting me to wherever I need to be.

"It'll be a shock for the audience too who maybe haven't seen me out of the chair as well."

Gemma Maguire Carrothers from Fermanagh Brightstarz said it was "amazing".

"It's very emotional actually for all of us, if I'm honest, so it's a big deal, she's brilliant," she added.

"She's inspirational to all our cast, she's inspirational actually to all of us so we're just blown away by her."

Brendan McConville from the Buddy Bear School said Shelley was focused and worked hard on her mobility

Shelley may be the star of the show but she is modest about what she has achieved.

"I just think I'm pure stubborn," she said.

"That's the only thing that's got me through it.

"I challenged myself every day and I hate somebody telling me I can't do something, that's why I'll do it.

"I hope by telling my story it will help others, but I don't see me as an inspiration.

"There's a lot of people out there suffering a lot of illnesses and suffering hardship and I'm just another one trying to get through life and that's just the way I look at it."