One thing that really mattered to this year was the relationship we built with you, our readers. Few things made us happier and prouder than being the platform from which you told your stories and shared your opinions. Facilitating your story being told is something we will continue to strive to do in 2016. But here we reflect on our favourite reader stories of this year.

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  Emer Murray | Sober for a Year Emer came to us with the story of her sobriety. She wrote candidly about her experiences with alcohol and the difficult admission that it had taken a negative hold on her life. The piece resonated with so many people and you sent in amazing words of encouragement and support for Emer. Read her story HERE. Claire Foran | "I'm Not Letting One Person Ruin The Rest of My Life" Claire's story was deeply traumatic. She was raped in London while studying and the assault had impacted her work, life, and relationships. Claire battled severely with her mental health and physical health as a result of the attack. It took her months to overcome her feelings of depression and anxiety, but she did and she delivered an incredible piece to camera about overcoming trauma and staying alive. Read her story HERE.  Christina Kenny | Dying of Cystic Fibrosis Christina Kenny and mum Alison have an exceptional bond, evident in their shared blog Dying Of Cystic Fibrosis. As the title suggests, the central theme of their shared writings is Alison’s illness. Christina contacted us after writing about the impact her mother has had on her life. She recorded the blog post and became our first In Her Own Words contributor. Read her story HERE.  Gemma Hearne | The Two Sides of My Story  We came across Gemma when another reader anonymously sent us a link to her blog. In it, she had written a heartbreakingly honest account of her struggles with infertility. She spoke so openly about the link between womanhood and fertility and her honesty and bravery struck a chord with us. Read her story HERE. Sarah Carty | Coping With Cancer  Sarah Carty was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the age of 24. It wasn't expected, she had very few symptoms. When she contacted us to share her blog and her story we were astounded by her strength, courage and determination to survive the illness. Read her story HERE.