Scottish mum whose world changed overnight after a shock multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis has told how candle making that brought ‘a little light into a time of so much darkness’ is now a flourishing family business that’s given her a new sense of purpose.
Karen Graham was hit with a major shock when doctors revealed she had MS in June 2022. The incurable condition affects the brain and spinal cord with some of the most common symptoms including fatigue, blurred vision, numbness, balance issues, muscle cramps, and memory issues.
Mum-of-two Karen says her mental health plummeted as she and her family, husband Chris and their teenage children, came to terms with the life-altering diagnosis.
Karen, who lives in Stirling, said: “I’d been suffering from what we believed were some sort of neurological issues from early on that year. I was hospitalised in both February and March.
Initially, doctors suspected labyrinthitis and started treatment, but when my condition didn’t improve, I was hospitalised again with a suspected Bell’s Palsy.
“But when we got the MS diagnosis it was a major shock, we were all devastated. Our world changed overnight.”
Karen, 44, enjoyed a busy life, working a demanding job in the health sector. Weekends were spent being spontaneous with friends and family and going on long walks – but that has now disappeared forever.
She added: “The condition can be really disabling but every day is different so everything in my life now has to be planned out.
“Some days I wake up and my legs just won’t work, other days I’m extremely tired and it’s affected my balance a lot as well.
“It took a real toll on my mental health as well as that of my family’s. We did not know what the future looked like.”
Having always enjoyed arts and crafts, Karen and husband Chris, also 44, started making candles at their kitchen table.
Seeing the positive impact it had on the whole family, Karen and Chris pondered taking their occasional hobby to the next level – finding the training and materials they needed just a few miles away in Falkirk-based business Candle Shack.
Karen said: “Candle making is very therapeutic, it’s a creative outlet that takes the focus away from what is going on. It helped Chris and I massively.
“We contacted Candle Shack who are a brilliant UK candle making supplier and really thought about setting up a candle making business on the side. Candle Shack was able to provide us with all the material and we still love using them to this day. It was made really simple.”
Karen and Chris founded The Stirling Candle Company, backed by Candle Shack, in January 2023, providing a range of luxury scented candles and wax melts.
Now boasting more than 20 scent varieties, more than 10,000 social media followers, a plethora of wholesale clients, and a diary jam-packed with events and local markets, Karen feels ‘extremely proud’ of what they have achieved in such a short space of time.
She added: “I still think to this day some of my loved ones can’t understand why we do this. Chris and I both still work, the children are teenagers and now I am living with MS.
“It’s a lot to take on. But during such a dark time for our family, candle making and then the business has really brought light into our lives.
“Candle making gives me something to work towards and look forward to each day. The studio we created in our back garden is my happy place. It’s improved my mental wellbeing so much.
“Considering the success while having this condition, I do feel incredibly proud and almost want to pinch myself. Had you told me I’d be doing this a couple of years ago I would never have believed you – the success we’ve had is unbelievable too.
“Having MS has made me more determined than ever. I’m not going to let it beat me and hopefully others see that, when you get a diagnosis like MS, your life has not ended.”
Cheryl Maclean, who with husband Duncan grew Candle Shack from side hustle in her own kitchen to a £15m candle making supply giant, said: “Karen’s story is an inspiring one, and a great example of how candle making can help people in times of need, and how quickly it can become something so much more.”
“Karen and Chris have built an amazing business in a very short space of time, and it’s amazing to see something so positive and purposeful emerge from such a difficult situation.
“We support thousands of people from hobbyists to large manufacturers, and it’s stories like Karen’s that make it extra special.”
Established in 2010, Candle Shack is a supplier of candle making supplies and equipment. It combines state of the art technology and artisan craftsmanship to customise candles for some of the world’s leading luxury brands.
It has become one of Europe’s leading suppliers of candle making components, supplying some of the UK’s leading candle manufacturers and small businesses.
For more information on products go to thestirlingcandlecompany.co.uk and candle-shack.com/