Latest news with #CharlieDixon
BBC News
2 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Parents of kids with rare gene disorder raise money for treatment
The parents of two children who have an incurable genetic disorder have raised £70,000 with a nine-hour walk across 2020, Mel Dixon, 46, and her husband Charlie, 47, from East Sheen, south-west London, received the "heartbreaking news" two of their three children – Tom, 15, and Rosie, 10 – carry a mutation of the DHDDS couple were told there were only 59 confirmed cases worldwide – although there are 80 documented now – and there was no treatment or cure, leaving them "devastated".The neurodegenerative condition causes seizures, tremors and neuro-developmental delays and, of Tom and Rosie's particular gene mutation, Mel said there were only seven cases confirmed worldwide. To fund research into treatments and therapies, on 8 June, the couple organised a charity "warrior walk", which saw 130 people take to the Thames Path in London, walking 40km, 20km or said their nine-hour walk was challenging and "emotional", but it was "amazing" to see everyone come and Charlie, who also have a 13-year-old son, Harry, organised several events through their charity, Cure DHDDS, including a 50km walk in July 2023 and a 950-mile tandem bike ride in August said: "[The donations] mean everything because, without them, we can't fund the research and, without the research, we're not going to get treatments – it's that simple."Tom and Rosie were late with milestones such as walking and speaking, and both were diagnosed with mild learning difficulties and dyspraxia, which affects their co-ordination, while at primary underwent whole genome sequencing testing, which can detect changes in a person's genetic make-up, and the DHDDS gene mutation was discovered."They've got one 'spelling mistake' [a mutation] in a very important part of their DNA," Mel said. At the time of their children's diagnosis, the couple were told there was no treatment available and the condition was neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative and treatment, symptoms such as psychosis, Parkinsonism and cognitive decline can take hold of many DHDDS patients."The geneticists told us it's up to us as parents to fund and drive the search for a cure," Mel said."They both have so much joy to give the world and are more than worth every bit of this fight."Mel and her husband believe the vitamin biotin has helped to reduce the children's tremors, meaning drinking from a cup is now "more manageable" for them. With their charity, Mel and Charlie are working toward a £1.5m fundraising goal to support drug repurposing research and gene therapy development."The huge thing for us is being able to have hope," Mel said."Not having hope, it almost feels like you're giving up on the kids and you're not giving them the possibilities of a better future."Every advancement that's been able to happen in science is because someone's refused to accept the limitations that are there currently."
USA Today
29-04-2025
- USA Today
Fox Sports executive Charlie Dixon accused twice of sexual battery, fired by network
Fox Sports executive Charlie Dixon accused twice of sexual battery, fired by network Show Caption Hide Caption Workplace sexual harassment comes out of the shadows Long before the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements shook Hollywood, everyday women faced sexual harassment in the workplace. Many still do. USA TODAY Charlie Dixon, a Fox Sports executive vice president who is being sued for sexual misconduct, was fired by the network. However, Dixon's attorney say the network terminated him for hiring his wife as a freelancer and not because of the harassment cases. Former network host Julie Stewart-Binks filed a lawsuit in January, alleging that Dixon sexually assaulted her by forcibly kissing her after pushing her against a wall in January 2016. Dixon is also a co-defendant in a lawsuit filed in January by a former hairstylist, Noushin Faraji, who says that Dixon rubbed and groped her buttocks in January 2017. Former host Skip Bayless and current "Speak" host Joy Taylor are also named in the lawsuit, which includes claims of sexual battery, negligent supervision and wrongful termination. Dixon's attorney, John Ly, said his client is saddened by Fox Sports' decision to terminate his employment, and has cooperated fully with the investigation and denies engaging in any inappropriate conduct. 'After nine years in positions of increasing responsibility at the network, Mr. Dixon was told that he was being let go for violating company policy,' Ly said in a statement. 'According to the network, Mr. Dixon did not disclose to human resources or the legal department that a third-party production company had hired his wife as a temporary freelancer. But the reality is that Mr. Dixon had asked his supervisor about the hire and was told that there were no objections. It is noteworthy that a Fox spokesperson made no reference to the company investigation of sexual harassment claims in announcing Mr. Dixon's departure.'
USA Today
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Julie Stewart-Binks Fox Sports sexual assault allegations: What we know
It was just a few weeks ago that Fox Sports was hit with a lawsuit filed by Noushin Faraji, who alleged that executive vice president of content Charlie Dixon had behaved inappropriately with her. According to a new story from The Athletic's Katie Strang, Julie Stewart-Binks — the former Fox Sports reporter and host who was once on the receiving end of a lap dance from Rob Gronkowski on the air — has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County against Fox and Dixon, with allegations of sexual assault. WARNING: Graphic depictions are ahead. Here's what we know from the story: What is Julie Stewart-Binks accusing Charlie Dixon of? Julie Stewart-Binks alleges Charlie Dixon sexually assaulted her in 2016 as the Super Bowl approached in San Francisco. Dixon asked her to meet at his hotel. They met at a bar where he allegedly said 'he didn't think she should be going to the Super Bowl at all and that she was ill-suited to host and wasn't funny or interesting or talented enough to draw in viewers.' After further criticism — 'You're not hot enough to be a hot girl on TV' — there was this: Stewart-Binks said Dixon's tone then changed. He stopped criticizing her and asked about her professional aspirations. The complaint states that Dixon then ordered two beers from the bar and urged her to come to his room and drink them, adding that he had a great view from his balcony. She didn't think it was a good idea, she said in her interview and in the complaint, but she felt she couldn't say no to her boss. 'You have autonomy over yourself to say 'no' and leave. But you don't, and you say 'yes' because he held the power to everything,' Stewart-Binks told The Athletic. The legal complaint describes Dixon's shirts – colorful tees with slogans and pictures – laid out on one of the beds in his room. Dixon suggested they step out on the balcony. Once outside, Dixon, according to the complaint, 'swiftly pushed her against the wall of the hotel and pinned her arms to her side. With her arms forcefully held down and his body pressed against hers, Dixon tried to force his tongue into her mouth.' Stewart-Binks' mouth remained shut but Dixon 'ignored her, continuing to press against her body and lick her closed mouth. While keeping one of her arms pinned, he moved his other arm from pressing her upper elbow against the wall to her body and towards her chest. Stewart-Binks seized the moment of partial freedom to push him away, say 'get off of me' and rapidly leave the hotel room.' What has Fox or Dixon said about these allegations? From the story: Dixon did not respond to text, voice and email messages seeking comment. Fox Sports said in a statement: 'These allegations are from over eight years ago. At the time, we promptly hired a third-party firm to investigate and addressed the matter based on their findings.' Did she report the incident to Human Resources? She alleges that after the Gronkowski moment, 'the network instructed her not to comment on the incident, and her agency, CAA, advised her to ride it out.' Then, she wasn't getting hired back two months later when the network didn't pick up her contract option. When she was asked in 2017 about the behavior of Horowitz, who was fired in 2017 amid allegations of sexual harassment, she told someone from HR about the Dixon incident. Was this lawsuit affected by the other one that names Dixon? Here's what Stewart-Binks said: On page eight of the 42-page complaint, there is a reference to a host who reported Dixon to the company. She believed that Faraji, with whom she worked at FS1, was referencing her. Reading about what Faraji allegedly endured was a 'tipping point,' Stewart-Binks said. 'I didn't want to hold onto it anymore.'
