'Critically ill with one of the world's rarest diseases in a remote corner of the British Isles'

Paddling in a bay on the tiny Channel Island of Sark, I suddenly felt very sick and cold.

Less than 48 hours later, I was being emergency evacuated to the intensive care unit of a London hospital via cart, tractor, lifeboat, private jet and ambulance.

Ultimately, an incredible team of doctors, nurses, and volunteers saved my life - for a second time, though falling ill with one of the rarest diseases in the world while in one of the remotest corners of the British Isles was an unfortunate first.

Image: Deborah Haynes covers some of the biggest foreign stories around the world. She also hosts The Wargame podcast

I have something called atypical Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS) that - when triggered - affects my immune system, destroying blood cells and harming other vital bodily func