A Perthshire baker who lived without a jaw joint for a year has published a risqué calendar to raise money for the specialists who looked after her.
Claire Devlin, 41, who with her husband Allan runs the award-winning Sugar and Spice bakery in Auchterarder, has had her jaw joint replaced twice after developing severe osteoarthritis when she was only 30 years old.
Mrs Devlin said her jaw was “crumbling away” when she first went through the operation in 2014. A subsequent infection, however, meant the painful operation had to be repeated in 2017.
To ensure the infection was fully healed, Mrs Devlin spent a year without a jaw joint and with her face held straight by brackets and bands.
“At first, I thought I had tooth ache. It started off quite mild but then it got worse. I had unbearable pain down the right hand side of my face and my jaw line. I was told my jaw was crumbling away,” she said.
“I got an infection after the first operation and spent 2016 without a jaw joint while it cleaned itself out. I had bands holding my face straight, just to keep the space for the new jaw joint to go in.
“I could only eat things like mince, mashed potatoes and other soft foods. It was tempting when you were in the bakery but you couldn’t eat that much.”
With the replaced joint now having settled, Mrs Devlin said she wanted to do something to say thank you to the staff at the Maxillofacial Department at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, who supported her through her illness.
In the calendar Mrs Devlin poses in beauty spots with each month sponsored by local businesses.
“I wanted to raise money but needed to do something that wasn’t going to damage my jaw joint. I messaged a photographer friend and he said why don’t you do a calendar,” she added.
“At first, it was going to be a few of us but it ended up just being me. It was so out of my comfort zone it was unbelievable. Everyone has been so supportive. Even my Dad said he was quite proud.”
She said she was already half way to her £3,000 fund raising target.
“I really thought I’d set the bar quite high for myself but I’m gobsmacked I’ve raised that much already.
“And my jaw feels better now. I feel absolutely incredible.”
