Hey! I'm Jessie Ace, an artist from South Derbyshire, UK.

In 2013 I thought my illustration career had ended before it had begun. I woke up on the last day of my university degree and couldn't feel the left side of my body. I was 22 years old and petrified.

Luckily, after 6 months, it came back and it's behaved ever since (phew!)

Turns out I had Multiple Sclerosis. A degenerative condition that affects the brain and spinal cord. Who knew?! The worst part was the doctor who diagnosed me in hospital told me to "go home and google it" to find out what MS was for myself! This horror story led me on a mission to change the lives of other young people diagnosed with MS.

My shy, anxious self, started writing blogs about my experiences for the biggest MS charities, in addition to being featured in magazines. I wrote a regular column for Multiple Sclerosis News Today and I hosted a podcast sharing people's positive stories (I even interviewed celebrities!) I wrote a book to help people track their symptoms too because the only books like it were medical looking and dull. It meant everything to me to be able to help others through a situation I went through.

Nowadays, I'm shifting my focus away from my diagnosis to brighten up the lives of children everywhere using brightly colored illustrations that teach confidence and good morals.

Truth is, I've been an avid drawer since I was tiny. Sitting on the floor of my granddad's electrical shop with my grandma eating cakes and sandwiches was a normal day to day event.

The biggest thing I've learned in life is to always be as organized as possible because you never know what is around the corner. It's also to not get so anxious about things that aren't in my control. It's not the cards we're dealt in life that matters - it's how we play the game that counts!

I love self-development, reading, learning Japanese, and food!