Norwich woman’s bid to meet popstar Demi Lovato who ‘saved her life’

Abbie Foster, from Norwich, who said popstar Demi Lovato helped her overcome depression and self-harm. Photo: Abbie Foster (Image: Abbie Foster)

Abbie Foster, 22, starting self-harming when she was just a teenager and it continued until three and a half years ago.

Abbie, who was bullied relentlessly at school and now lives in Lower Clarence Road, said: 'One boy told me I should kill myself and if I didn't, he would do it for me. I was so suicidal when I was out I was looking at things I could jump off or thinking about my funeral and that no one would turn up. If I had, for example, had an argument I wouldn't trust myself to go outside in case that was the day.

'When I was about 17 or 18 I thought this was never going to end, I thought this was what my life was meant to be, just this craziness of sadness and not being able to sleep, and everything else which comes with depression.'

But that changed when she heard a song by American popstar Demi Lovato on the radio in January 2014.

She said: 'I was in my mum's car and I wasn't feeling great for whatever reason and Skyscraper came on the radio. It was the first time I had actually listened to the lyrics and I got a lump in my throat.'

MORE: 'Demi Lovato saved my life' - How a popstar thousands of miles away helped woman break her habit of self-harming every dayLater that night was in a situation where she said she would usually have harmed herself.

'I couldn't cry,' she said. 'But I wanted to get out some emotion and I was so used to doing that by harming myself. But instead I found Skyscraper on YouTube.'

From there, she watched other music videos from the star and learned more about the mental health struggles she had experienced.

And now that Demi is set to perform at Newmarket Races in June, Abbie is desperate to meet her.

She said: 'I can hardly put into words how much it would mean to me to thank Demi Lovato, I met her back in 2014 when I was still struggling, I was 100 days free from self harm but I relapsed soon after.

'Fast forward to now and I'm over three and a half years free from self harm and I thank Demi for that. Every time I wanted to give up she was the reason I stayed strong. I'd remember her quotes, speeches and lyrics and I'd feel instantly stronger.

'It would mean the world to me to be able to thank her for all that she has helped me achieve, I want her to know my personal story, and how I want to use it to help others just like she was able to do for me.

'I want to look her in the eye and say thank you. It is my ultimate dream.'