Ambulance driver makes life-changing decision

A Lanarkshire transgender ambulance driver has told how a bucket list climb up Ben Nevis will be symbolic after conquering her own personal mountain to live happily as a woman.

- ANDREA LAMBROU

Michelle Williams, 63, has pledged to scale Scotland's highest mountain on September 13 to help fund research for Macmillan Cancer Support.

The gruelling charity trek will signify a remarkable milestone in the Scottish Ambulance worker's life after conquering 60 years of gender dysphoria to successfully transition from a man into a woman.

Living for six decades as John, struggles with gender, identity and depression nearly proved fatal following two suicide attempts.

But after opening up about his mental health battle and speaking to a psychiatrist during the Covid lockdown, John was diagnosed with gender dysphoria which gave him the courage to take the first step in his journey towards transitioning.

"When I was 60 I did the West Highland Way and my bucket list was to do Ben Nevis", said Michelle.

"I climbed my own personal mountain by getting a sex change and living my life full-time as Michelle. Now I would like to climb Ben Nevis to raise money for this amazing charity."

Michelle has been a blue light driver for the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) for 17 years.

But before the Covid pandemic,

I thought people would be for it or totally against it, but it was more in between

Michelle was known to her colleagues by her birth name, John.

"I've done this quite late in life", she explained.