Latest news with #Alzheimer's'
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
NHS alert over 'lifelong' issue affecting the brain and spine
Around 150,000 people are living with the condition in the UK, while a further 7,100 are newly diagnosed each year The NHS has highlighted the possible symptoms of an incurable health issue that dramatically impacts the central nervous system. While it can affect anyone at any age, the condition is more common among people between 20 and 50 years old. Posting to X this morning, the health service said: "Today is #WorldMSDay. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a lifelong condition which can affect the brain and spinal cord. There are lots of possible symptoms of MS and everyone with the condition is affected differently." More than 150,000 people are living with MS in the UK, while almost 7,100 are newly diagnosed each year, according to the MS Society 's estimates. The condition arises when the immune system attacks the brain and nerves, though the exact triggers remain largely unknown. Possible symptoms of MS can include: Extreme tiredness/fatigue Memory and concentration issues Sexual problems, including a dry vagina or erection problems Blurred vision, eye pain and other sight issues Needing to pee more frequently or losing control over urination Feeling off balance, dizzy or clumsy Numbness or tingling in different parts of the body Muscle cramps, spasms and stiffness There are three main types of MS, and symptoms can vary significantly from person to person. For instance, the first primary type of MS, 'relapse-remitting', describes fluctuating symptoms with different degrees of severity over time. However, this often gradually develops into 'secondary progressive' MS, where symptoms become constant and also steadily worsen. Meanwhile, 'primary progressive' is a less common type of MS in which a person only experiences worsening symptoms from the onset, rather than having the initial 'relapsing-remitting' stage. READ MORE: Davina McCall says 'horrible' ordeal felt like 'Alzheimer's' after brain surgery If you suspect you have symptoms of MS, it's important to seek GP advice. There is no single tool to diagnose the condition, but a medical professional may conduct MRI scans, blood tests, and take spinal fluid samples to better understand your problem. NHS guidance explains: "There is currently no cure for multiple sclerosis (MS). But there are treatments that can slow the progression of MS and help ease symptoms. "The type of treatment will depend on the type of MS you have and your symptoms. You'll probably need different treatments over time. You'll be supported by different healthcare professionals. "This may include a specialist MS nurse, a neurologist (brain and nerve specialist), physiotherapist and occupational therapist." Despite this advice, anyone who suddenly experiences balance issues, weakness or numbness in one arm, or blurred vision is urged to call 999. These may be signs of a stroke - a medical emergency that requires immediate attention.
Daily Mirror
24-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
'My 14-year-old daughter's rugby ball-sized tumour was almost misdiagnosed'
At 14 years old, Izzy Pickering was led to believe by doctors that her intense pain was period pain or appendicitis. Weeks later, the teenager learned that she actually had a tumour the size of a rugby ball A mum is urging health officials to introduce ovarian cancer testing for girls after her 14-year-old daughter's excruciating symptoms were dismissed as period cramps – only for a rugby ball-sized tumour to be discovered weeks later. Lisa Pickering says her daughter, Izzy Pickering, from Sawley in Derbyshire, is lucky to be alive after months of pain, vomiting and fear were repeatedly overlooked. 'You hear of children with leukaemia, but you don't hear of young girls with ovarian cancer,' Lisa said. "They should not have to wait until they are sexually active, as this is proof you don't have to be to get cancer in that area.' READ MORE: Davina McCall says 'horrible' ordeal felt like 'Alzheimer's' after brain surgery Izzy first fell ill in November with back pain, stomach aches and vomiting. Her parents took her to the A&E at Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham after their GP suspected appendicitis. Doctors suggested it may be period-related and prescribed antibiotics for a possible oesophageal infection. But Izzy's vomiting continued. By March, she was frightened to eat and was growing weaker. On March 19, Lisa and Wayne brought her back to the hospital and demanded more tests, refusing to leave without more tests. 'Something wasn't right, we know our daughter,' Lisa said. An MRI was finally ordered on April 20. The next day, the family received the news no parent wants to hear – Izzy had stage two ovarian cancer. A massive tumour had grown in her ovary, pushing her organs back and anchoring itself to tissue near her spine. 'It was so big, all her organs had been pushed backwards, and it had attached itself to tissue at the bottom of her back.' It had a "stalk growing in the middle,' said family friend Sarahjane Giles. It was causing all the back pain. Izzy underwent emergency surgery on March 17, but began bleeding out during the operation. 'They had to pack her stomach, leave her open, and put her in the ICU to stop the bleeding,' Sarahjane said. She was put in an induced coma for five days – "one small movement and her stitches would've ruptured.' She received multiple blood transfusions and was taken back to theatre the following day. Doctors now believe they removed the cancer successfully. By mid-April, Izzy was slowly taken off sedation. She began eating small amounts of food and even managed a few steps. She started a three-month round of chemotherapy on April 25, undergoing treatment five days a week. 'She will lose her hair, and doctors said she will struggle to have children in the future,' said Sarahjane. 'What makes it really sad is that Izzy is a miracle baby herself and has always wanted to be a maternity nurse.' Lisa is now calling for change. 'Children should have access to screening from when they start their period," she said. Currently, there is no national screening programme for ovarian cancer in the UK. The disease affects around 7,500 people a year, most of them over 50, according to the NHS. A spokesperson for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said: "Current evidence does not support population screening for ovarian cancer, even in adults, as there is insufficient evidence that screening reduces mortality and may lead to unnecessary interventions.' Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham declined to comment on individual cases. Izzy is currently taking time off from school while her parents take unpaid leave to care for her. A fundraiser launched by Sarahjane has raised £8,345 of a £10,500 target, with all funds going toward travel, wigs and whatever Izzy may need during recovery. Sarahjane is also running a half-marathon at Carsington Water in Derbyshire on June 21 to raise further awareness. 'Izzy is really bubbly, outgoing and the kindest and most caring young lady. Sarahjane said, "She loves makeup, handbags, singing and is in a drama group. To support Izzy's fundraisers, click here
Ammon
29-04-2025
- Health
- Ammon
Three years old girl struck down by 'childhood Alzheimer's'
Ammon News - A Tennessee family has opened up about their young daughter's devastating battle with a rare disorder that has caused her to develop 'childhood Alzheimer's.'Rowan Begbie, 3, was diagnosed with the terminal memory-robbing condition Sanfilippo syndrome last syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that has been dubbed 'childhood Alzheimer's' because it causes children to suffer cognitive decline and lose all of the skills they have learned by the time they are teenagers. Daily Mail
Daily Mail
23-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Adorable girl aged just three struck down by 'childhood Alzheimer's'
A Tennessee family has opened up about their young daughter's devastating battle with a rare disorder that has caused her to develop 'childhood Alzheimer's.' Rowan Begbie, 3, was diagnosed with the terminal memory-robbing condition Sanfilippo syndrome last April. Sanfilippo syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that has been dubbed 'childhood Alzheimer's' because it causes children to suffer cognitive decline and lose all of the skills they have learned by the time they are teenagers. There is no cure for the disease, and most of the children die by the time they reach their mid-teens. Her parents, Bryan and Blair, said the diagnosis was heartbreaking, but their little girl has been brave as she battles the disease. 'She's so full of life. She loves people. She connects with people. She loves her siblings so incredibly much,' the proud parents told WATE. 'She's fearless, which can be a bad thing. Right now, she's just doing so well.' Rowan was diagnosed after a concerned mother who had come across Rowan's pictures through social media contacted her parents. 'Within minutes of research, it felt like our world had ended because every trait and symptom described our baby girl,' her parents said on their Cure Sanfilippo Foundation page. Rowan has Sanfilippo syndrome type A, also known as mucopolysaccharidosis (MSP). 'MPS, or mucopolysaccharidosis, is a metabolism disorder where Rowan does not produce the enzyme that breaks down a toxin that builds up in her body, primarily her brain, which leads to behavioral issues, cognitive decline and a number of other unfortunate symptoms,' her parents said. The family said it has been hard to watch their daughter suffer from the disease and help their other children, Marley and Finn, understand what is happening to their sister, but they are determined to do everything possible to help her. 'Rowan's hyperactivity and fixations are a challenge because it makes her a flight risk. She needs constant supervision to ensure her safety,' they said. 'Her spatial awareness and coordination also create fall problems, which brings bumps, bruises, and scratches on a regular basis. 'The hardest part is knowing Rowan's incredible personality, which we love with all our hearts, will wither away in front of our eyes.' Rowan's parents described her as a joyous little girl who loves her community and family. 'Rowan gives the best hugs and is always eager to give others pats on the back,' they said. 'She loves to sing 'Wheels on the Bus,' being active outside, and being with her family more than anything.' The three-year-old is participating in a clinical trial that requires her family to make numerous trips to North Carolina for treatment. 'There's only about 12 kids in the U.S. receiving this specific treatment,' Bryan said. 'We drive there the afternoon before infusions, then we have a full infusion day from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and then we drive home. We couldn't be happier with the team of physicians and nurses that care for her.' The Begbie family has started a foundation called the Rowan Tree Foundation of East Tennessee to help raise money to find a treatment for Sanfilippo and help other families. 'It's overwhelming, we've seen friends and people from every corner of our lives show up for us over the last year and it's been absolutely amazing,' her parents said. 'We have super generous and talented people that surround us and love us that helped us put today together.' Sanfilippo affects just 5,000 Americans and causes dementia-like symptoms in children, including the inability to speak, walk, eat on their own or remember any of the skills they've learned throughout their life. It impacts about one in 70,000 births every year and develops when each parent passes on a faulty gene. Most sufferers begin to deteriorate around four years old and don't live past their early teen years. In people with Sanfilippo syndrome, they lack an enzyme that breaks down a waste product produced in the body, which leads to their brains becoming 'clogged with toxic levels' of the material, according to the Cure Sanfilippo Foundation. Signs and symptoms include a mild speech delay, hyperactivity, irritability, coarse and excess hair growth, coarse facial features, severe sleeping problems, respiratory infections, ear infections, digestive issues and a wobbly walk. As the toxicity levels build in the brain, it can lead to seizures, movement issues and chronic pain, but because of its behavioral symptoms, Sanfilippo is often initially misdiagnosed as ADHD or autism. There are four subtypes of the condition depending on which enzyme is missing or broken. Across the globe, MPS IIIA is the most common and makes up more than half of the cases. It is also considered the most severe, causing symptoms and death at earlier ages, according to the foundation. There is no approved cure for the disease but the Sanfilippo Foundation said research and clinical trials for enzyme replacements are working toward treatments that could potentially slow the progression of the disease and extend a patient's life.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gene Hackman's Estate Wins Temporary Order to Seal Bodycam Footage, Autopsy Photos
A New Mexico judge is blocking, at least temporarily, the release of any photos or video showing the partially mummified bodies of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa-Hackman after the actor and his wife were found dead in their Santa Fe home last month. The new order from Judge Matthew J. Wilson lasts until a hearing on the matter set for March 31. It specifically bars the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office and the state's Medical Examiner from fulfilling any public records requests seeking photos or officer 'lapel video footage' showing either of the couple's bodies or the interior of their residence in Santa Fe. It also prohibits the release of any autopsy or death investigation reports or any bodycam footage showing 'any deceased animals at the Hackman residence.' More from Rolling Stone Drake's Label Blasts Him, Seeks Dismissal of 'Not Like Us' Defamation Lawsuit Jonathan Majors Admits to Strangling Ex-Girlfriend In Newly Unearthed Audio 'It Ends With Us' Legal Battle Between Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni Is the Subject of New Doc The judge said state and county officials should appear at the March 31 hearing in person if they plan to argue that a permanent injunction against release of the material 'should not be issued.' Julia Peters, who represents the couple's estate, is behind the push to seal the records on privacy grounds. She has cited Hackman's discreet and 'exemplary private life,' his family's constitutionally protected right to grieve privately, and the gruesome nature of the photographs and body-cam footage recorded when police entered the home. While New Mexico law typically blocks the dissemination of potentially sensitive images of citizens' deaths as well as medical records, the nature of Arakawa's death — her main cause of death was hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare respiratory disease usually transmitted by mice — could potentially present a public health concern and thus be available under the state's Inspection of Public Records Act. At a March 7 press conference, officials said they believed Arakawa, 65, died first, possibly as early as Feb. 11, the last day she was seen alive. They said Hackman, 95, succumbed to heart disease and 'advanced Alzheimer's disease,' most likely days or even a week later, on Feb. 18. They said Hackman was in such an 'advanced state of Alzheimer's' that it was 'quite possible that he was not aware that she was deceased.' Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Best 'Saturday Night Live' Characters of All Time Denzel Washington's Movies Ranked, From Worst to Best 70 Greatest Comedies of the 21st Century
