ONE of the contestants participating in Race Across the World has opened up about a health condition that affects her self esteem.
Betty is featuring on the BBC One programme alongside her brother James in a bid to win prize money by travelling across East Asia without the use of mobile phones or aircraft.
The pair have experienced their fair share of emotional moments along the way, but the siblings recently had a personal conversation that moved viewers to tears.
Becky broke down as she revealed her MRKH diagnosis, tearfully admitting: “It means that I don’t have a uterus, I don’t have a womb and I only have one kidney as well.
“My frustrations and down moments come periodically, I want to be resilient and brave and whatever, but my condition I do believe has made me have this mindset of being negative and not really liking the person I am.
“I think as a young woman, you’re told you’re going to marry, you’re going to have a family, and from a young age when that’s taken away from you, it does put doubts in your mind. Doubts in your purpose as a person, I suppose.”
The rare disorder, also referred to as Rokitansky Syndrome, is a condition which leaves the reproductive system underdeveloped.
Although MRKH is present in the host from birth, Betty was only diagnosed at the age of 16.
The young woman’s brother tried to reassure her, saying: “It’s okay, you know, honestly I forget that you can’t have children.”
But this only made it more obvious to Betty how quiet she is about her condition.
She told him: “Me and you have never even had a conversation about it have we? It’s definitely made me develop, I think, a lot of the negative attributes that I have like overthinking and wanting to feel in control, because I just feel like at 16 something was taken away from me that I couldn’t control.
“So, when you’ve been saying “everything happens for a reason”, I can’t believe that.”
James became emotional as his sister’s struggle began to sink in.
He turned to give her a massive hug, admitting: “Yes, that makes more sense now. I get that my philosophy is “everything happens for a reason”, but to you, obviously not. And that being positive is not always the best way to deal with things.”
The Yorkshire lad ended up breaking down in a piece to camera while discussing the conversation with members of the production team.
He shared: “To hear that was tough. It was the first time we’ve talked about it, and I have heard it from Betty herself and it’s only now that I realise how much it does affect her and… Excuse me, there’s a frog in my throat.”
James then burst into tears and the camera crew had to step in to comfort him.
What Is MRKH?
Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome is a congenital disorder that affects the reproductive system in females.
It is characterised by underdevelopment or absence of the uterus and upper part of the vagina, often resulting in primary amenorrhea (the absence of menstruation) and infertility.
Individuals with MRKH syndrome typically have normal external genitalia and secondary sexual characteristics, such as breast development and pubic hair.
However, the internal reproductive organs, including the uterus, cervix, and upper part of the vagina, are either absent or underdeveloped.
The exact cause of MRKH syndrome is not fully understood, but it is believed to result from a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
It is considered a rare condition, affecting approximately 1 in 4,500 female births.
After recovering his composure he continued: “Brave is now probably an understatement, I’ll have to think of a new word for her.”
Viewers congratulated Betty for raising awareness about the condition, and many were moved to tears by the scene.
Taking to social media, one Race Across the World fan wrote: “Must have been awful for Betty at such a young age to be told that she couldn’t have children she’s such an awesome person and James is such a good support for her.”
Another chimed in: “I’d never heard of MRKH syndrome, so thank you, Betty, for opening up. Also, James’ ‘can someone just give me a hug please?’ broke me, but I’m really glad he asked for it. Think this might be my favourite episode so far.”