Latest news with #NickThomas
BBC News
3 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
PPFIBP1 gene: Parents' worldwide search for babies with son's rare condition
Jack is one of only 16 children in the world with a life-limiting genetic condition that is so rare it doesn't have a 11-month-old has a mutation of the PPFIBP1 gene which means he is blind, has frequent seizures and is unlikely to ever walk or mum and dad want to track down the parents of the other children with his condition to better understand their son's diagnosis and offer support."It is very limited with what they can tell us," said his mum Amanda Thomas from St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan. "But what they have said is it is life-limiting and it is likely that he will pass away at some point during childhood but they don't know when that will be." To date Amanda has spoken to one other parent, a woman from Georgia in the US, whose daughter had the condition and died at the age of two."She felt so blessed to have her little girl in her life, even for a short time and you could just see how much love was there," said said being able to ask one another questions was helpful for both of them and she was left overwhelmed by the experience. For the first few weeks of his life, Amanda and Nick's fourth child Jack appeared completely healthy. He was nine weeks old when they first spotted something that caused concern."His right eye had dropped to the outside and it had fixed but his head had stuck to the side as well," explained Amanda."Nick took one look at him and said 'I think he needs to go into A&E'."Initially doctors were not overly concerned and the family returned hours later the same thing happened again only this time Jack was also lethargic and his breathing had become shallow so he was taken to hospital by ambulance. Shortly after arriving he had his first seizure. "He stopped breathing, I shouted for help and an entire crash team came in," said Amanda."They resuscitated him and then on the way to taking him to resus they had to stop in the corridor and resuscitate him again."Jack was put on a ventilator and moved into intensive were at a loss as to what was wrong with him. Following a number of tests that led nowhere the family underwent genetic results showed Jack has a mutated PPFIBP1 gene."They explained that every gene has two copies and with this particular gene I carry one mutated copy and Nick carries another mutated copy," said Amanda."It's meant that both of Jack's copies of this gene have got a variation to it which has caused this neurodevelopmental disorder which doesn't have a name because it is so rare." With so few known cases it is hard for doctors to predict Jack's life expectancy. "They've said it could be when he's one, it could be when he's five, it could be 10 years but knowing that we're going to outlive our child and knowing that his brothers and his sister may one day have to say goodbye to him is heart-breaking," said Amanda. Amanda and Nick were told their other children - aged 10, eight and 4 - also had a 25% chance of having the mutated gene but tests showed this was not the case. When Jack first became unwell last September the family were in the middle of fully renovating their came to a standstill so the family home is a partial building site. Amanda has left her job in social services to take care of Jack full-time and Nick has been able to continue working but is still recovering from a stroke in July 2023 and heart surgery that followed in May last are trying to crowdfund the renovation as well as equipment for Jack."Life is testing," admitted Nick. "Amanda and I have to be realistic this could be his last Christmas, this could be his last birthday so really we're just trying to get this as comfortable as possible so Jack enjoys the time he does have with us. He said he and Amanda found strength in one another. Alongside all of this Amanda is continuing her search for other parents of children with Jack's condition. "When we had our diagnosis we had nobody to turn to because there was nobody who had the same condition so there's no support groups available, there's nothing," said Amanda."If somebody in the future gets this diagnosis then perhaps they can find me, and I can offer a bit of support that I didn't have in the beginning because there were so many questions, so many what ifs, where, how, which were all just being met with 'we don't know'." Over the past eight months Jack has been taken to hospital by air ambulance three times and the family have spent about 60 nights in the future so uncertain the family are making the most of every moment."I just used to stress about the things that didn't matter, my house not being tidy, the washing piling up, now I'm learning that's not important anymore," said Amanda."We really do have limited time with Jack so it's about having those moments and making the most of it."
Telegraph
7 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
How ‘Britain's most generous loyalty scheme' came unstuck
When Nick Thomas and his wife took out a health and life insurance policy with Vitality four years ago, like millions of others they were drawn to the generous rewards scheme. Unlike a traditional rewards programme where repeated spending eventually leads to a perk, Vitality rewarded members for having healthy lifestyle habits. Walking 7,000 steps a day, going to the gym or completing a Parkrun all earned points offering lucrative rewards for Thomas and his family such as free cinema tickets, an Amazon Prime membership and bags of Caffe Nero coffee. The scheme was a success on both sides. For Vitality, healthier customers claimed less while members benefited from better health and significant savings in the form of numerous perks. Thomas, like countless other members The Telegraph has spoken to, has nothing but praise for Vitality. 'It's been brilliant. I've encouraged other people to sign up because I've been so impressed with it all.' But all of that changed last month when Vitality decided to 'level up' its reward programme. Rather than earning rewards solely for healthy lifestyle choices, the insurance provider introduced a game whereby members would have to find a cartoon dachshund called 'Stanley' hidden behind 16 bushes. The monthly rewards they now earn are dependent on how many 'Stanleys' they find. The disapproval among Vitality's 1.9 million members has been swift. Online message boards reveal an avalanche of complaints about the 'silly game'. Facebook groups show members venting their frustrations and trying to share tips about how to find the hidden dogs. Criticisms range from members saying they feel infantilised to more serious accusations that the game amounts to a form of gambling, and is at odds with the company's aim to reward 'being active, eating healthily and maintaining good mental health'. Vitality strongly disputes the allegation that it amounts to gambling, as members do not stake money while playing. Martyn James, a consumer expert, says while it is not a form of gambling, it is part of a growing trend of 'gamification' – the process of using gameplay to make tasks more attractive and encourage engagement. He says: 'Unless Vitality can demonstrate that the odds show that people are getting the same amount of rewards then it's a smokescreen to hide the fact that benefits have been removed. 'That's before you consider the juvenile factor. It's fine if you are younger and don't mind hunting for a cartoon dog but as a grown adult, I find that quite patronising. I don't mind spinning a wheel every now and then, but you have to question what purpose does this serve?'
Telegraph
7 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
How Britain's most generous rewards scheme fell apart
When Nick Thomas and his wife took out a health and life insurance policy with Vitality four years ago, like millions of others they were drawn to the generous rewards scheme. Unlike a traditional rewards programme where repeated spending eventually leads to a perk, Vitality rewarded members for having healthy lifestyle habits. Walking 7,000 steps a day, going to the gym or completing a Parkrun all earned points offering lucrative rewards for Thomas and his family such as free cinema tickets, an Amazon Prime membership and bags of Caffe Nero coffee. The scheme was a success on both sides. For Vitality, healthier customers claimed less while members benefited from better health and significant savings in the form of numerous perks. Thomas, like countless other members The Telegraph has spoken to, has nothing but praise for Vitality. 'It's been brilliant. I've encouraged other people to sign up because I've been so impressed with it all.' But all of that changed last month when Vitality decided to 'level up' its reward programme. Rather than earning rewards solely for healthy lifestyle choices, the insurance provider introduced a game whereby members would have to find a cartoon dachshund called 'Stanley' hidden behind 16 bushes. The monthly rewards they now earn are dependent on how many 'Stanleys' they find. The disapproval among Vitality's 1.9 million members has been swift. Online message boards reveal an avalanche of complaints about the 'silly game'. Facebook groups show members venting their frustrations and trying to share tips about how to find the hidden dogs. Criticisms range from members saying they feel infantilised to more serious accusations that the game amounts to a form of gambling, and is at odds with the company's aim to reward 'being active, eating healthily and maintaining good mental health'. Vitality strongly disputes the allegation that it amounts to gambling, as members do not stake money while playing. Martyn James, a consumer expert, says while it is not a form of gambling, it is part of a growing trend of 'gamification' – the process of using gameplay to make tasks more attractive and encourage engagement. He says: 'Unless Vitality can demonstrate that the odds show that people are getting the same amount of rewards then it's a smokescreen to hide the fact that benefits have been removed. 'That's before you consider the juvenile factor. It's fine if you are younger and don't mind hunting for a cartoon dog but as a grown adult, I find that quite patronising. I don't mind spinning a wheel every now and then, but you have to question what purpose does this serve?' The Telegraph is aware of numerous members who have written to Vitality to complain, but so far the company has shown no signs of reverting the changes in responses to these letters. Thomas is one such member who has flagged his concerns with Vitality. 'I wondered if it was just me who was getting annoyed but looking online, I thought thank goodness it's not just me. 'My wife and I joined after we sat down with a financial adviser and we were drawn in by a policy that rewarded healthy living. That's why a lot of people join it. 'But with this they have created a childish game which is completely based on luck. There is an unfairness to it all. I can earn 160 points in a month [the maximum] and end up with fewer rewards than someone who has earned 48 points. 'I'd love for them to be transparent. If they need to cut costs and therefore reduce the number of benefits, just be open about that. Equally, if they need to increase costs because of the level of benefits, it's best to be open and transparent with members rather than doing [this] which annoys people.' The changes to the reward programme are complex. Previously, members were able to earn up to 160 points in a month with weekly and monthly rewards available. For example, if members earned 12 points a week, which could be achieved by walking more than 7,000 steps for four days, they could redeem a drink of their choice at Caffe Nero. For 12 points, they could also enjoy a weekly film rental from Rakuten. Earning 48 points in a month unlocked a free cinema ticket at Odeon or Vue, and until January 2024, reaching 160 points every month gave you a free Amazon Prime membership. Under the new system, some health-based points rewards remain. Earning 12 points in a week can be transferred for either a free Caffe Nero drink and 25pc off Itsu food or 50pc off a cinema ticket. But rather than incentivising members to earn as close to the maximum number of points as possible in a month to reach the best rewards, these are all now linked to playing a computer game where luck determines what prizes you earn. As long as a member earns 12 points each week out of a maximum of 40, they are entered into the game where they are shown 16 square tiles known as 'bushes' – behind four of which is a dog. When members open the game, the first bush shakes to reveal where the first dog is hidden. It then leaves members with three chances to find three dogs hidden behind 15 bushes. At the end of the month, if a member finds four dogs, they earn one reward, if they find eight dogs, they earn two prizes and if they find 10 dogs, they earn the maximum of three prizes. David Rowe, a programme manager from Hertfordshire, has reluctantly played the game each week. However, both last month and this month, he has found seven dogs, leaving him one short of collecting two prizes. Márton Balázs, a probability professor at Bristol University, explains there is a good reason why members like Rowe keep falling short of earning two prizes. Balázs has calculated that assuming a member played the game four times in a month and they always find the first dog which the game prompts, they have only got a 13.4pc chance of finding eight dogs. To earn three rewards, equivalent to finding 10 dogs, the odds of winning are even smaller at 0.96pc – giving members a one in 103 chance of winning the maximum prize, although Vitality strongly refutes these calculations. Rowe added: 'I looked up the chances of finding all four dogs and you've got a one in 455 chance. You are almost five times more likely to match three numbers in the National Lottery than find all four dogs in a week on this game,' he says. Rowe, who has been a member for the past eight years and pays £600 annually for his policy, is considering leaving. 'My policy is up for renewal in September. I will investigate changing and see what else is out there. If I can get an insurance policy that is half the price of what I am paying now, I'd think, 'Why would I not do that because that money I'm saving I can just spend on cinema tickets or an Itsu meal instead?'.' Thomas and his wife are also considering the value of their £1,460 annual bill, but he is hopeful that Vitality might yet listen to the rising anger of members. 'I've never questioned leaving before but if things haven't changed by August or September, then I think we'll go elsewhere'. A Vitality spokesman said the scheme continued to offer 'significant value' to consumers. Nick Read, managing director, said: 'The update to the Vitality Programme ensures more customers are taking steps to improve their health, with over 53,000 additional members now more physically active than they previously were. 'The impact of this is transformational – many more people will live in better health for longer. It also continues to offer significant value, over and above the market-leading health and life insurance we provide.'
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bitcoin Surges Past $82K Despite U.S. Risk-Off Mood — Is a Breakout Brewing?
What an eventful week in the markets. Bitcoin swung $10,000—trading from a weekly low of $74,000 and ending around $84,000 by Friday. Over the past few weeks, the markets have experienced a strong risk-off narrative—but not just any kind. It's a U.S.-focused risk-off environment, where even safe-haven assets like U.S. Treasuries aren't seeing any love. With typically safe-haven assets like U.S. Treasuries and the U.S. dollar not showing strength during times when they usually would, a narrative has emerged for Bitcoin to potentially step up to the plate. Don't Miss: 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. Here's what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy. And with that, Bitcoin has definitely gotten a hit. I wouldn't call it a home run just yet, but its relative strength—holding above $80K during this period of geopolitical uncertainty, while stocks, bonds, and the U.S. dollar fall—should tell us something. 6-Month Historical Performance If you had bought the S&P 500 six months ago, prior to the U.S. election, you'd currently be down roughly 10% on your investment. Bitcoin, on the other hand, would have you up over 20%. Once again, this highlights Bitcoin's relative strength compared to traditional markets, especially as uncertainty has played a major role. Screenshot via Godel Terminal user Nick Thomas Trending: It's no wonder Jeff Bezos holds over $250 million in art — Daily Chart As of writing this on Friday, there are still two trading days left before a new weekly candle forms in the crypto markets—so things could change. But for now, Bitcoin has made a strong move back inside the range after briefly trading below the key swing level. With this in mind, we now have important key levels to monitor. If Bitcoin can reclaim these levels, we could start to see a significant shift in the market—potentially leading to a move back toward the all-time highs. Screenshot via TradingView User NoticeTradesIf Bitcoin continues to trade higher heading into the weekend and next week, watching the $88K range will be crucial, as we've seen the market reject from that level twice now. The next major level to break and reclaim is $92,000, which marks the low end of the previous consolidation. In my view, if Bitcoin can strongly reclaim the $90,000s, we could see new all-time highs relatively quickly. Read Next: With shares starting at $1.52, . Deloitte's fastest-growing software company partners with Amazon, Walmart & Target – UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Bitcoin Surges Past $82K Despite U.S. Risk-Off Mood — Is a Breakout Brewing? originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bitcoin Surges Past $82K Despite U.S. Risk-Off Mood — Is a Breakout Brewing?
What an eventful week in the markets. Bitcoin swung $10,000—trading from a weekly low of $74,000 and ending around $84,000 by Friday. Over the past few weeks, the markets have experienced a strong risk-off narrative—but not just any kind. It's a U.S.-focused risk-off environment, where even safe-haven assets like U.S. Treasuries aren't seeing any love. With typically safe-haven assets like U.S. Treasuries and the U.S. dollar not showing strength during times when they usually would, a narrative has emerged for Bitcoin to potentially step up to the plate. Don't Miss: 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. Here's what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy. And with that, Bitcoin has definitely gotten a hit. I wouldn't call it a home run just yet, but its relative strength—holding above $80K during this period of geopolitical uncertainty, while stocks, bonds, and the U.S. dollar fall—should tell us something. 6-Month Historical Performance If you had bought the S&P 500 six months ago, prior to the U.S. election, you'd currently be down roughly 10% on your investment. Bitcoin, on the other hand, would have you up over 20%. Once again, this highlights Bitcoin's relative strength compared to traditional markets, especially as uncertainty has played a major role. Screenshot via Godel Terminal user Nick Thomas Trending: It's no wonder Jeff Bezos holds over $250 million in art — Daily Chart As of writing this on Friday, there are still two trading days left before a new weekly candle forms in the crypto markets—so things could change. But for now, Bitcoin has made a strong move back inside the range after briefly trading below the key swing level. With this in mind, we now have important key levels to monitor. If Bitcoin can reclaim these levels, we could start to see a significant shift in the market—potentially leading to a move back toward the all-time highs. Screenshot via TradingView User NoticeTradesIf Bitcoin continues to trade higher heading into the weekend and next week, watching the $88K range will be crucial, as we've seen the market reject from that level twice now. The next major level to break and reclaim is $92,000, which marks the low end of the previous consolidation. In my view, if Bitcoin can strongly reclaim the $90,000s, we could see new all-time highs relatively quickly. Read Next: With shares starting at $1.52, . Deloitte's fastest-growing software company partners with Amazon, Walmart & Target – UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Bitcoin Surges Past $82K Despite U.S. Risk-Off Mood — Is a Breakout Brewing? originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Sign in to access your portfolio
