Latest news with #FND
BBC News
7 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Disabled woman left 'stuck' in festival campsite field
A wheelchair user who was unable to get into a festival after being left stranded miles away in a field, said she is "really, really upset" and "disappointed".Jayney Gage, from Wellington, said she got "stuck" in a camping field two miles away from the Festival on the Hills with no provision to get her to the main event of the three-day event in Somerset said they are "devastated for letting people down" but they had a "larger number of campers" then expected and have since refunded Ms gage her gage, said: "I literally look at the same four walls 52 weeks a year - it ruined something I'd been looking forward to for a year." Set up five years ago, Festival on the Hills is a not-for-profit event with all money raised going to the local community and festival, which took place between 29 and 31 May, was moved to Taunton Racecourse this year at short Gage, who suffers from functional neurological disorder (FND), said she had to save up and "live very frugally" to pay for the tickets to go to the festival."We turned up and we got directed to a field - down a single track lane - where we were told we could camp," she said."I don't know how far it was but it seemed about two miles away [from the festival site]. Ms Gage, said not only was her wheelchair unable to "cope with the field" but the minibus used to shuttle festival goers to the festival site was too small for her wheelchair."It was just impossible," she said."They didn't take into account that somebody that was being put in that field was disabled."For me to go out, it really is quite exhausting. My conditions mean that I have to pace myself. It is upsetting." In a statement, organisers said had Ms Gage contacted them directly with her concerns rather than posting on social media they would have "addressed these immediately"."We sadly couldn't monitor all socials comments whilst running the festival," they added that they had "expected to fit everyone in" but a "larger number of campers than anticipated" had occupied a larger area with their camping set ups than they had been prepared for."We acknowledge that we should have set size restrictions to prevent this and are devastated for letting people down," they said."We take on board the feedback and will of course use these learnings if we decide to bring the event back next year."
Irish Times
07-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
FND: ‘I have accepted that, sometimes, doing things like a weekend away means some days of pain, exhaustion and seizures'
'In February, 2021, I got what we assumed was a new tic,' says Niamh Cummins, who lives with both ASD (autism spectrum disorder) and Tourette syndrome. 'My arms were shaking, and this in time went on to full body tremors and a very strange walk. Mum sent a video to a member of the Camhs [Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services] team I was under, and they were adamant it wasn't a tic but couldn't say what else it could be. 'I had also begun to get really tired, which was unusual as I was always a very 'busy' child, constantly moving around, and dancing – but suddenly I found myself coming home from school and just wanting to go to bed. I had no energy to do the simplest of tasks. 'Things progressed quite quickly and one Saturday lunchtime I had a huge seizure which was like the body tremors but I was unable to stop them and was lying on the ground shaking. I was terrified and my mum, who said afterwards that she was really worried, managed to get me into the car and straight to our local A&E, which was 45 minutes away. They gave me some medication which eventually stopped the seizure and I was admitted for three nights. I had numerous tests and many visits from different doctors – but no one could say what was wrong with me.' The 19-year-old was discharged with a referral to a neurologist who, after setting her a few tasks, 'grabbed a piece of paper and wrote 'she has functional neurological disorder' [FND] on it' before handing it to her mother, Catherine, and advising her to look it up online, saying the condition 'will disappear after Niamh reads about it'. READ MORE 'Mum looked dumbfounded as she had never heard about this and asked if we could book in a follow-up appointment, but the neurologist said it wasn't necessary because the FND would go away after I read about it. I remember walking out of the hospital looking at my mum, who was trying not to cry. She rang one of the team from Camhs to tell them and they said, 'well, that's a great diagnosis', but she replied by asking: 'What part of not being able to function, move or walk and just offering a website to cure me was great?'' FND occurs due to an issue within the function of the nervous system, which impacts how the brain and body receive and send signals. According to FND Ireland , despite about 9,000 people living with the condition in this country – and it being apparently the second most common reason to visit a neurologist (headaches are the most common) – Ireland is the only country in western Europe without a specialised FND service. The HSE describes it as a condition which arises primarily from a disorder of nervous system functioning, rather than identifiable pathophysiological disease. 'I was still experiencing extreme fatigue and seizures; school was very difficult, with threats of them keeping me off classes until my FND went away due to health and safety,' says Niamh. 'But after a meeting with Mum and my Camhs psychologist, they were very supportive of me. Mum then made contact with a professor in England who had a big interest in FND and she found it very beneficial. 'Following that, she made an appointment for me with a physiotherapist, but it wasn't much help, so she then decided to find a personal trainer for me – and since then he has been such a benefit to me as my walking improved really quickly and over time my fatigue has lessened. It's important to do some research and talk to people who are in a similar situation. There is a Facebook page that people can join which will help them to know they are not alone. Because that is the hardest thing for Niamh – she doesn't know anyone else with it — Catherine 'It is now four years on and I'm doing okay – I finished my exams last year and passed them all, despite having seizures every day – and I'm taking a year out before, hopefully, going to college. I am currently on work experience in a local hair salon, which I love, and still attending the personal trainer. However, I can be in quite a bit of pain after work [two half-days a week] but I really enjoy it – and I get free hair cuts. I have become quite good at managing some of my FND symptoms, but I have sadly accepted that, sometimes, doing things like a weekend away means some days of pain, exhaustion and seizures.' Niamh and her mum Catherine Her mother, Catherine, who also has an older daughter, Aoife, says that Niamh has been through quite an ordeal over the past few years, which has left her exhausted, needing to use a wheelchair, experiencing paralysis in arms and legs to the point where she would 'literally drop to the floor' and unable to use her hands as they would become 'claw-like'. Despite all of this, she did 'exceptionally well' in her Leaving Cert and is coping admirably with what life is throwing at her, but she is unsure of what lies ahead. 'Her plan for the future is very hazy, because she's very aware of her condition and her limitations, and the fact that there is absolutely no support now that she's an adult – in fact, it's even worse than when she was under paediatrics,' says Catherine. 'There is nothing the GP can do, there's no OT [occupational therapy], no psychology or physio – there is nothing at all. 'She started doing work experience in a hairdressers, but I don't know how much longer she's going to keep going with that, because heat is one of the things which can set her FND off. So I don't know what her plan is for the future – because even though she is interested in law, she can't study the traditional way by reading and writing, she learns by doing – so maybe she could do an apprenticeship in law. So she is really restricted. 'I think it's very unfair that she is in this situation and that there is nothing for her – there is no point in just having proper treatment in Dublin as we don't all live there and can't get access to things or have some kind of normal life. This needs to be available countrywide.' [ Illness management: 'If my condition does not improve, does that make it my fault?' Opens in new window ] The mother of two, who lives in Longford, says she would advise anyone else with a loved one going through something like this to try to find some sort of distraction. 'This is how she got through in the early days,' she says. 'Crochet and crafting were the main thing – and I would talk to her about something random to distract her. It's also important to do some research and talk to people who are in a similar situation. There is a Facebook page that people can join which will help them to know they are not alone. Because that is the hardest thing for Niamh – she doesn't know anyone else with it. 'So it's very lonely and has been since the beginning when we were handed that crappy piece of paper with a website on it and told that it would go away, and not to come back. It was a very lonely time and she was very scared that she wouldn't get her life back. 'Now, fortunately, she's doing really well, but I'm worried that she's just going to be stuck here because she needs to push herself, but she can't, because if she pushes herself, she'll end up paralysed with seizures and not being able to function. So we just have to see what the future brings. But she is in a good place, which is the main thing, and things are changing – maybe slowly, but at least there is some hope.' About FND FND is a condition which can present with a wide range of neurological symptoms, most commonly functional weakness, functional tremor and functional seizures, but many other symptoms exist. FND occurs when there is a problem with the functioning of the nervous system, and this impacts how the brain and body send and receive signals. It is a genuine condition which can occur alone or coexist with other illnesses and neurological conditions. At present, Irish data on the prevalence of FND is lacking; however, going by international figures, it is estimated that the incidence rates are comparable to multiple sclerosis (MS) and that approximately 9,000 people are living with FND in Ireland. International research has shown that FND is the second most common reason to see a neurologist. Anyone can be affected by FND, but it is more common in women than men. It can occur at any age, but in the main affects a young, working-age population. The condition is increasingly diagnosed in teenagers but uncommon in children under 10 years.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Floor & Decor Prepared For Current Tariffs As Sourcing Shift Limits China Exposure: Analyst
Telsey analyst trimmed the price forecast for Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:FND) from $115 to $100 while keeping an Outperform rating. On Thursday, the company reported first-quarter EPS of 45 cents, missing the 46 cents estimate, while net sales of $1.16 billion were inline. The company lowered its FY25 GAAP EPS guidance to $1.70-$2.00 from $1.80-$2.10 (vs. $1.97 est) and narrowed its sales guidance to $4.66 billion-$4.80 billion (from $4.47 billion-$4.90 billion) vs. $4.82 billion est. The analyst writes that Floor & Decor adopted a more cautious stance after a first-quarter 2025 comp decline of -1.8% (transactions down 4%). The second quarter comp is tracking at +1%, a sequential improvement but likely below expectations, adds the analyst. The analyst says that Floor & Decor is well-prepared for current tariffs, having significantly shifted sourcing since 2018, reducing China exposure from 50% to 18% by 2024 while increasing US sourcing to 27%. Their strategy involves vendor negotiation, further sourcing shifts, and price adjustments, adds the analyst. Telsey writes that despite the disappointing guidance reduction, they remain optimistic about the company's market position and long-term growth potential, driven by store expansion, product innovation, high-margin categories, commercial market initiatives, and Spartan Surface. For FY25, the analyst lowered the EPS estimate to $1.90 (from $2.06; FS $1.96) with a comp of 0.1% (from 2.4%; FS 1.4%) and an operating margin of 5.6% (down ~10 bps; previously 6.0%; FS 5.7%). For 2026, Telsey now sees an EPS estimate of $2.45 (from $2.68; FS $2.54) with a comp of 4.5% (from 5.0%; FS 4.9%) and an operating margin of 6.4% (up ~80 bps; previously 6.8%; FS 6.6%). Price Action: FND shares gained 2.51% to $74.06 on Friday. Read Next:Photo via Shutterstock Date Firm Action From To Feb 2022 Loop Capital Maintains Hold Feb 2022 Telsey Advisory Group Maintains Outperform Feb 2022 Wells Fargo Maintains Overweight View More Analyst Ratings for FND View the Latest Analyst Ratings Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? This article Floor & Decor Prepared For Current Tariffs As Sourcing Shift Limits China Exposure: Analyst originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Sign in to access your portfolio
Daily Mirror
02-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Neurological disorder could be reason why you're 'tired all the time'
A GP has said that people experiencing certain symptoms might want to consider asking their doctors about a specific condition If you're constantly feeling run down and under the weather, it might be worth seeing if a certain health condition could be the culprit. However, according to one doctor, it might not be so straightforward to diagnose. Dr Asif Ahmed, an England-based GP, suggested that those grappling with certain common symptoms might want to discuss the possibility of Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) with their doctors. He said: "We don't fully know why or how it happens, but [experts] think that there's a problem with the signal between the brain and the rest of the body." He explained that the problem is not just how your brain receives signals from the rest of the body - but how it sends signals out too. Dr Ahmed noted that this condition typically doesn't cause "any structural damage to the nerves of the brain.", reports Surrey Live. The NHS Inform website states that the issues occur "on a level of the brain that you cannot control". Symptoms of FND can vary greatly from person to person. According to Dr Ahmed, the warning signs can be "so varied and widespread". NHS Inform highlights key symptoms to watch out for: Limb weakness Functional/dissociative seizures Tremors Gait disorder (problems walking, such as dragging leg, feeling unsteady or making excessive movements) Facial or muscle spasm Functional tics Drop attacks (falling to the ground suddenly without losing consciousness) Speech and swallowing difficulties Persistent postural perceptual dizziness (gets worse while walking or in crowded spaces) Vision problems (vision can become blurred or reduced, you could start seeing double, or develop light sensitivity) Chronic pain, persistent fatigue, and sleep issues are also flagged as potential indicators of this condition. It could also lead to mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Dr Ahmed highlighted that pinpointing Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) as the root of your health troubles can be a drawn-out and complex process. The diagnosis often relies on a method of eliminating other likely causes one-by-one as there isn't yet a single definitive test to identify the condition. The diagnostic journey can sometimes uncover additional health issues FND patients might be facing. This could involve conducting specific blood tests and scans to fully investigate any concerns. According to the NHS, the causes of "FND can happen for a wide range of reasons" and differ significantly from one individual to another. Moreover, having an existing neurological condition may heighten the risk of developing FND. While there currently is no absolute cure for FND, a variety of rehabilitation therapies are available. These aim to 'retrain the brain,' assisting patients in improving their ability to perform daily tasks. Medications may also be beneficial in addressing certain symptoms associated with FND, such as pain, depression, and anxiety. It's best to consult with a healthcare provider in determining whether medication is a suitable option for managing FND.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Floor & Decor Holdings Inc (FND) Q1 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Navigating Growth Amid ...
Diluted Earnings Per Share: $0.45, compared to $0.46 in the same period last year. Total Sales: Increased by 5.8% to $1.161 billion from $1.97 billion in the same period last year. Comparable Store Sales: Decreased by 1.8% from the same period last year. Gross Margin Rate: Increased by 100 basis points to 43.8% from the same period last year. Selling and Store Operating Expenses: Increased by 10.3% to $368.8 million. Adjusted EBITDA: Increased 5.5% to $129.8 million. New Store Openings: Four new warehouse-format stores opened; plan to open 20 new stores in fiscal 2025. Inventory: Increased by 5% to $1.2 billion as of March 27, 2025. Liquidity: $949.8 million of unrestricted liquidity, including $186.9 million in cash and cash equivalents. Fiscal 2025 Sales Guidance: Expected to be in the range of $4,660 million to $4,800 million, an increase of 5% to 8% from fiscal 2024. Fiscal 2025 Capital Expenditures: Planned to be in the range of $310 million to $360 million. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 3 Warning Sign with FND. Release Date: May 01, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Floor & Decor Holdings Inc (NYSE:FND) reported a 5.8% increase in total sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2025, reaching $1.161 billion. The company achieved a gross margin rate of 43.8%, a 100 basis point increase from the same period last year, primarily due to lower supply chain costs. FND successfully diversified its sourcing, reducing its dependency on China from 18% to mid-single digits by the end of fiscal 2025. The company opened four new warehouse-format stores in the first quarter and plans to open 20 new stores in fiscal 2025, demonstrating continued expansion. Sales to professional customers (PROs) accounted for approximately 50% of total sales, showing strong engagement and growth in this segment. Comparable store sales decreased by 1.8% in the first quarter of fiscal 2025, at the low end of the company's expectations. The company revised its fiscal 2025 earnings guidance due to increased economic uncertainty and potential recession risks. FND reduced its planned new store openings from 25 to 20 for fiscal 2025, reflecting caution amid uncertain macroeconomic conditions. The company's first quarter fiscal 2025 selling and store operating expenses increased by 10.3%, leading to a 130 basis point increase as a percentage of net sales. The effective tax rate for the first quarter increased to 22.0% from 12.8% in the same period last year, impacting net earnings. Q: Can you confirm the tariff impact on guidance and how you're managing it? A: Thomas Taylor, CEO: We have experience dealing with tariffs and have made progress in diversifying away from China. We anticipate modest price increases to offset tariff impacts, maintaining our market position. Bradley Paulsen, President: Our guidance includes universal tariffs, and we believe we can maintain our margin rate through vendor negotiations and strategic pricing. Q: How are you managing the transition away from China in terms of product availability and margins? A: Thomas Taylor, CEO: We feel confident in our diversification efforts and do not anticipate significant product gaps. Bryan Langley, CFO: Diversifying has allowed us to maintain or improve product specifications and costs, supporting our gross margin. Q: Why did you reduce your store opening plan to 20 new stores, and could it go lower? A: Bryan Langley, CFO: We chose 20 based on current conditions and believe in the long-term potential of these locations. If business deteriorates beyond our guidance, we may reduce further, but current trends do not indicate that need. Q: How are you maintaining gross margin amid tariffs, and what strategies are in place? A: Thomas Taylor, CEO: We are leveraging better cost yields, consumer buying trends, supply chain efficiencies, and design services to maintain margins. Pricing adjustments will be a last resort if necessary. Q: How does your sourcing strategy compare to competitors, and is it a competitive advantage? A: Bradley Paulsen, President: Our diversified sourcing from multiple countries gives us flexibility and a competitive edge. Thomas Taylor, CEO: Our direct sourcing model is a significant advantage, especially as the market faces challenges. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Sign in to access your portfolio
