A relative of the reigning Miss Scotland says she was “overcome with emotion” after she chose to fly the flag for the charity that helped her come to terms with her incurable MS diagnosis.
Rhyiza Croy, from Falkirk, was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) five years ago – the day before her 26th birthday.
The 31-year-old medical receptionist and her cousin Amy Scott were “inseparable” as children and still enjoy a very close relationship. So when Amy was crowned Miss Scotland last year, no one was more proud than Rhyiza.
And when Amy revealed she’d selected the MS Society as her chosen charity in honour of her cousin, Rhyiza was so overcome with emotion she couldn’t find the words to express how happy it made her.
Now, as Amy prepares to represent Scotland at the Miss World competition final in Telangana, India, on Saturday, May 31, the cousins have spoken about their special relationship, the impact of Rhyiza’s MS, and the importance of raising awareness of the condition.
“When Amy and her twin brother were born I got the day off primary school to go and see them. I’m forever grateful for that day off!”, Rhyiza joked as she recalled the beginning of the pair’s close relationship.
“We’ve always been partners in crime,” she continued. “When we were younger it was playing, running about, getting up to mischief. Now I’d say she’s more like a best friend or a sister. I’m never off the phone to her. We’re still so close.”
Amy, 25, who lives in Strathaven, South Lanarkshire, and worked as an events coordinator and wedding planner before taking a break to concentrate on charity work, had equally nice things to say about her cousin.
“As close as I am with my own siblings, it’s always been me and Rhyiza”, she said.
“I was obsessed with her when I was younger. I followed her about everywhere. There are loads of photos of the two of us together – we were inseparable. She’s directly in front of me age-wise so I’ve watched every single step of her life. When she was at school she was school captain and head of lots of teams. I just wanted to be like Rhyiza. She inspired me to do everything as I was growing up.”
But as they were growing up, Rhyiza began to experience “severe” leg pain, which doctors struggled to get to the bottom of. Then while working as a receptionist at a medical centre as an adult she realised her hands would “shake really badly” as she handed letters and prescriptions to patients. Rhyiza saw a GP who referred her for an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan, which led to her MS diagnosis.
More than 17,000 people in Scotland live with MS. It’s a condition that affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms are different for everyone and are often invisible.
Rhyiza said: “When I was diagnosed I was relieved and shocked at the same time. I was relieved my symptoms could be put down to a condition because I’d often been told they were normal and that I should just take a paracetamol and I’d be fine.
“I still have localised leg pain in my right lower calf. Sometimes it’s still cry-worthy at night. But fatigue is one of the worst things I’ve got. It takes a lot for me just to get out of bed in the morning sometimes.”
Rhyiza admits she’s “reluctant” to use walking aids in public as she fears people will judge her. But she has no such fears around her cousin, adding: “I feel I can talk openly to Amy about my MS.”
But Rhyiza wasn’t able to talk to Amy – or speak at all – when she found out she was the reason her cousin had selected the MS Society as her chosen charity for both the Miss Scotland and Miss World contests.
She said: “We were sitting downstairs in my living room and she just came out with it. I think she wasn’t sure on how she would say it so she just burst out with it. We both had a cry.
“She said she couldn’t think of a more worthwhile thing to raise money for because she knows how much I’ve used the MS Society. It made me feel all shy and coy. It made me want to get up and hug her, which I did, because I didn’t have any words to say.”
Amy added: “When I told Rhyiza I wanted to support the MS Society through this, I think it meant quite a lot to her. When I was applying for Miss Scotland, one of the things I was definitely considering was that it would be a good platform to use to raise awareness of MS and funds for the MS Society. So there was an element of Rhyiza even inspiring me to apply.”
Amy first applied for Miss Scotland in 2020 but the contest was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. She went to work overseas for a few years, believing she’d missed her chance to compete for the crown. And when she decided to take part in last year’s contest she kept the news to herself.
She said: “I was quite quiet about the whole thing. I’m not very extroverted. You’d think you’d need to be quite extroverted to do something like this and I’m not.
“And I have quite a fear of failing. So it was quite leftfield for me to do something like this. When I told Rhyiza I was in the final of Miss Scotland she got a big surprise because she wasn’t expecting it. But she was just super proud.”
Describing her Miss Scotland experience so far, Amy continued: “I stay away from the word pageant because I don’t really see it as that. It’s more of a showcase of women from around the world who are trying to make the world a better place. It feels empowering. A lot of people don’t realise how much the contest has evolved. It’s no longer about looking good in a swimsuit.
“I wasn’t really expecting to win! I entered because I wanted to meet new people but also work towards something I believe in. I wanted to raise funds but I also saw it as a platform to raise awareness of a condition that maybe isn’t as well understood as some others.
“There are lot of deserving causes, but considering the amount of people that have MS in Scotland it’s kind of crazy that so many people don’t know what the symptoms are or what the impacts can be.
“If we’d known some of the signs perhaps Rhyiza might have been diagnosed sooner. As Miss Scotland I’ve been given a much more elevated platform to help me raise awareness so I’m very happy. Hopefully I can replicate that win when I go to Miss World.”
Rhyiza and her family found the MS Society to be a valuable source of information after she was diagnosed.
They downloaded information about the condition from the website, found out about treatments by calling the free MS Helpline, and interacted with other people living with MS via the online Forum.
To show her appreciation, Rhyiza raised funds for the charity by taking part in an MS Walk. And Amy used her large social media following to spread the word and help her cousin attract lots of sponsorship. Now Rhyiza hopes Amy can use her positive influence again, on an even bigger scale.
She said: “We all celebrated on FaceTime when Amy won Miss Scotland. My auntie called us and then she turned the phone around and Amy was sitting there with the crown on! It felt incredible. I was so proud of her for having the confidence to do it. I think she’s beautiful inside and out.
“I think it’s so amazing that Amy is now going to be raising awareness of MS to an even bigger audience, and especially among a younger age group. I’ve found that most people have heard of MS but don’t really know how it can affect people.
“It’s much better for me when people have an understanding of the condition. I have to say, my family, friends and colleagues have been amazing.
“I also know how much raising money for charities can change lives. The MS Society is an invaluable comfort. There’s always somebody you can ask when you have questions.
“They also fund research and help people to understand the condition better. If Amy’s work can raise money for those things then that would be incredible too.”
Amy added: “I’m never going to understand what it’s like to have MS. But I do understand what it’s like to have a family member with the condition, and to watch someone you love be affected by it.
“And it’s frustrating that so many people don’t seem to know much about it. Anything I can do to raise awareness of the condition, and to showcase the work the MS Society and other charities do for people living with the condition in Scotland, that’s my priority. And hopefully I can also raise lots of money, to help fund research and support.”
Amy has already raised more than £3,000 for the MS Society by hosting a charity ball, inspired by the family Christmas parties Rhyiza hosts every year.
She’s volunteered at MS Society fundraising events and is planning to attend other events, speak with volunteers, and find out more about research into MS treatments.
Amy wrote an article about the MS Society as part of the selection process for the Miss Scotland title, and is making a video about her charity work for the ‘Beauty with a Purpose’ section of the upcoming Miss World contest.
To be in with a chance of winning the Miss World title, Amy will also take part in a sporting challenge, demonstrate her modelling skills, and show off a talent – she’s chosen to sing.
Keith Park, Interim Director of MS Society Scotland, said: “We would like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to Amy for choosing to support the MS Society during her reign as Miss Scotland and hopefully beyond.
“The MS Society is the UK’s leading charity for people affected by MS. For 70 years we’ve been at the forefront of support, research, and campaigning to improve the lives of people affected by the condition.
“Awareness-raising forms a big part of what we do so we’re extremely grateful to both Amy, for using her platform to highlight MS on a global stage, and Rhyiza, for allowing us to share her experiences of living with the condition.
“We wish Amy the best of luck in the Miss World contest and look forward to continuing to work with her.”
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