A STUDENT who spent a lot of her time helping family and friends with their wedding arrangements decided to get a degree out of it.

As part of her visual communication design course at Middlesex University, Jerina Jagdeo has produced an illustrated personal organiser aimed at teaching women the best way to woo Mr Right.

Jerina, 26, of Parkthorne Close, Harrow, suffers from a debilitating form of arthritis, but this did not stop her impressing university tutors with her innovative idea.

She said: "It's an illustrated self-help book for the Sex and the City girl, the sort who has a great career but is struggling to find a meaningful, long-term relationship.

"I wanted it to be humorous because so many of my friends and family have been getting married and they were all so worried about it."

Jerina adapted her ideas from self-help queen Dr Patricia Allen's marriage bible Getting To I Do.

She said: "I took some interesting quotes and did illustrations to go with them.

"I chose funny sayings such as 'men are like sharks, always looking for their prey'.

I put that one next to a drawing of a man out shopping with his arm around his girlfriend, but with radar coming out of his head searching for other girls. I'm sure most women can relate to that."

Jerina began her degree in 2001 and will graduate next month. The journey has been a long and tortuous one.

Jerina has suffered from rheumatoid arthritis since she was 13.

It stopped her finishing an earlier degree in fashion because she couldn't cope with the fine needlework involved.

For the last three or four years, she has had chemotherapy because her previous treatment wasn't strong enough.

But even though it necessitates her having injections every week, as well as hydrotherapy, physiotherapy and hand therapy, Jerina hasn't let the crippling condition beat her.

"I love what I do too much," she said.

After graduation, Jerina is looking forward to forging a career in promotional work, but before that she has another wedding to go to.

She said: "It's a friend from college who's tying the knot this time."