Katie Piper told how she is lucky to be alive as she faces her 400th operation in 12 years.
The TV personality, 37, first entered the public eye in 2008, to raise awareness of her injuries sustained from a horrific acid attack orchestrated by an ex-boyfriend that year.
And in a new interview, Katie revealed that the multitude of surgeries she’s faced doesn’t phase her as ‘life is a gift that I’m still here’ adding that people in other countries without access to great healthcare are not so lucky.
Tough time: Katie Piper told how she is lucky to be alive as she faces her 400th operation in 12 years
Speaking to The Mirror as she nears her 400th time going under the knife, Katie said her ‘heart never sinks’ when told she is to face yet another procedure.
She explained: ‘You can look at it that way, or you can say, it’s extraordinary to be alive, because women who are acid attacked in other countries actually die.
‘They don’t have the NHS, and they don’t have the sophisticated medicine we have here. So I think, my heart would never sink, life is a gift that I’m still here.’
The mum-of-two is currently recovering from her most recent operation last month, in which skin from her left arm was grafted onto her upper eyelid.
Grateful: Katie revealed that the multitude of surgeries she’s faced doesn’t phase her as ‘life is a gift that I’m still here’ adding that people in other countries without access to great healthcare are not so lucky
She told how the timing of the coronavirus lockdown worked in her favour when it came to recovery from the eye operation.
She said: ‘I joked with my eye surgeon, “when would be a good time to do it? Because I’m going to be blind when I have it done, because I’ve only got sight in one eye”. But then the pandemic happened and the world’s shut down…so timing wise, it couldn’t have been better.’
Katie was recently forced to hit back at a troll after being branded ‘repulsive and ugly’ by a social media user.
Speaking about how she deals with criticism, the beauty told the publication that she enters a ‘Nirvana state’ which helps her deal with negativity.
Positive outlook: ‘You can look at it that way, or you can say, it’s extraordinary to be alive, because women who are acid attacked in other countries actually die’
She added that she feels ‘bad’ for the haters as they must be in an ‘angry place’, going on to add that ‘only hurt people hurt people.’
Last month, Katie took to Instagram to share a screen shot of a shocking message from a follower reading: ‘You’re the most repulsive and ugliest thing I’ve ever seen why even bother with make-up.’
Katie recently underwent successful eye surgery to prevent her eyesight from deteriorating, but was mistakenly told she had ‘gone too far’ by Twitter users, who assumed she went under the knife for cosmetic reasons.
‘My heart would never sink’: ‘They don’t have the NHS, and they don’t have the sophisticated medicine we have here. So I think, my heart would never sink, life is a gift that I’m still here’
Over the top of the screenshot of the message, Katie penned: ‘I’ve posted this message from my inbox to show you all the work and conversations around diversity and inclusion, the everyday reality for anyone who is in the minority category…
Calling for change, she went on: ‘The everyday existence is very different to the positivity campaigns. More work needs to be done.’
In a now-expired video viewed by MailOnline, Katie read an affirmation to her Instagram followers as she admitted that the online comments hurt her feelings, but said she tries not to let them impact her life.
She captioned the video: ‘It happens. It doesn’t have to stop you. Pain helps you change and become more able’.
Shocking: Last month, Katie took to Instagram to share a screen shot of a shocking message from a follower reading: ‘You’re the most repulsive and ugliest thing I’ve ever seen why even bother with make-up’
Katie also shared some pictures from her hospital bed the previous week after her surgery, and while her eye looked sore, she had a big smile on her face.
The mother-of-two’s latest operation came as a result of a long list of complications she suffered following a sulphuric acid attack.
As a result, Katie is blind in one eye, but she had to have her healthy eye operated on to retain her sight.
A spokesperson for the TV star said that Katie’s doing well given the circumstances.
They told MailOnline last week: ‘Katie is nearing her 400th operation now but she is being as brave as ever whilst in hospital for her current procedure.
Bullying: The advocate recently underwent successful eye surgery to prevent her eyesight from deteriorating, but was mistakenly told she had ‘gone too far’ by Twitter users, who assumed she went under the knife for cosmetic reasons
‘The eye is healing well, and Katie remains positive about the future and cannot thank the incredible eye surgeon and team enough for their work for their ongoing restoration and preservation of her sight in her “good eye.”’
The sulfuric acid attack took place back in 2008 and was organised by her obsessive ex-partner, Daniel Lynch, but was carried out by Stefan Sylvestre, 31.
Daniel co-ordinated the pre-planned street assault outside her north London home in Golders Green.
Sticks and stones: In a now-expired video viewed by MailOnline, Katie admitted that the online comments hurt her feelings, but said she tries not to let them impact her life
Daniel was subsequently given two life terms behind bars, while Stefan served six-years of his own sentence, before initially being released in 2018.
Elsewhere, Katie recently joined forces with the Co-Op’s The Collective, which sees celebrities connecting with a local cause or charity near to where they live.
Ahead of lockdown, the star visited volunteer-led community initiative Monty’s in Southampton, close to where she used to live.
She said of the campaign: ‘It’s been a really difficult time for charities in the pandemic but Co-op have really stepped up, supporting not only to large charities, but grassroots causes.
‘The incredible team at Monty’s have helped to support hundreds of families in their area, particularly through such a difficult year.’
Good cause: Katie recently joined forces with the Co-Op’s The Collective, which sees celebrities connecting with a local cause or charity near to where they live (pictured, Katie visiting community initiative Monty’s in Southampton)