When Helen Genito heard the news that she and her fiance would have their entire wedding paid for, a prize she was competing against about 1200 others for, she thought it was a scam.
“We’re still in disbelief, we never win anything,” Helen said.
In 2006, just after the birth of her first child, Helen was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.
“I started not feeling like myself,” she said.
Helen described an ordeal that involved her balance and cognition declining while seeing different doctors at different hospitals who couldn’t give her a diagnosis, until an MRI scan revealed legions on her brain.
Over the next four years Helen experienced two more similar episodes, and also had to cope with the death of her husband, while raising her daughter.
“I kind of put my health on hold and just looked after Jamie,” she said.
“At the moment it’s an invisible illness because I don’t have any physical symptoms.
“I wish the public were more aware of invisible illnesses, invisible disabilities.”
It was living with this “invisible illness” that eventually connected Helen with Frank Barbakos.
Helen said the pair met in a peer support group for people with MS, and after a few years “sparks flew” and the pair began dating.
“We’re just birds of a feather I think, we just gel. And, we understand each other, and understand each other’s symptoms,” she said.
A few months ago, the couple decided they would overturn their long-held position that neither wanted to re-marry, and would tie the knot in 2025.
And last week, the couple discovered they had won a $20,000 wedding package to make their big day extra special.
The competition, run by Eynesbury’s Wedding team, offered entrants the chance to win venue hire, a food and beverage package for up to 120 guests, a ceremony package at Eynesbury Quarter Heritage Gardens, and access to the full venue and grounds at Eynesbury to take photos.
“This wonderful opportunity from Eynesbury is just a dream come true for us,” Helen said.
