Latest news with #stroke
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE British dad, 51, stuck in Malaysia after suffering a stroke in front of his daughters on long-haul flight to 'dream family holiday'
A father-of-two who suffered a devastating stroke mid-flight to a dream family holiday has been left stuck in Malaysia after collapsing in front of his wife and daughters on the plane. Now left picking up the pieces, wife Noor Haris, 55, a medical doctor from Malaysia living in Newcastle, has spoken for the first time about the terrifying ordeal that turned a long-awaited summer holiday into a life-altering nightmare. Her husband, Mohd, 51, suffered a stroke just hours before their British Airways flight from Newcastle to Kuala Lumpur was due to land on July 4. He collapsed in front of their two daughters, aged 16 and 18. Recalling the harrowing experience to MailOnline, Noor said: 'It was around 6am, I had gone to get a drink and my husband needed the toilet. That's when he fell on to the floor and collapsed. 'He could not move his left arm or leg, they were completely dead. That's when we realised he was having a stroke.' A GoFundMe has now been launched to help support Noor and her family. The family had boarded the British Airways flight on July 3 at 5:30pm from Newcastle, via London Heathrow, heading to Malaysia for their children's school holidays. The trip was meant to bring respite after a gruelling few months. Mohd had suffered his first stroke in March 2025 and had spent two months recovering in hospital. With medical clearance to fly and using a walking stick, the family felt optimistic. But in the early hours over Asia, disaster struck again. 'I kept telling the crew: "He's having a stroke, he's definitely had a stroke",' Noor said. Displaying extraordinary calm under immense pressure, Noor, a full-time working doctor, cared for her husband with the help of compassionate BA crew and a fellow doctor on board. An anonymous medical professional came and assessed and reviewed Noor's husband. They also carried out checks on him every half-an-hour to ensure his condition was not worsening. Staff provided clean pajamas, and despite the harrowing situation, Noor managed to clean him up and settle him back into his seat. 'When we got him back again to his seat, at that point there was some discussion about trying to divert the flight,' she said. 'Even though unfortunately he could not move his left arm or leg he was otherwise stable. They checked his blood pressure and everything and they were all okay so the decision was made to continue the journey.' Speaking of the devastating moment Mohd collapsed in the plane's narrow aisle, Noor admitted she 'blanked out everything because I knew in my mind what was going on. 'I'm also a medical doctor so with my knowledge I did not panic, but the girls, they were sat in front of us, and when they heard that their dad had collapsed they turned around but I couldn't even look at their faces. 'I was totally unaware of what everybody else was thinking or doing. A couple of passengers did offer to try and help to lift him up,' she added. Upon arrival in Kuala Lumpur, paramedics were waiting on the tarmac, having been alerted by the crew. Noor expressed her relief that due to the urgency of the situation, the family managed to get through immigration, board an ambulance and reach a local A&E in under an hour. 'I was quite lucky at the time because I had my two daughters with me and was giving them specific instructions about what to do. 'As soon as we arrived he was wheeled in, they put a cannula in his arm and went straight for a CT scan.' The scans confirmed a new stroke - a right pontine infarct and left parieto-occipital infarct. He now suffers from left-sided weakness and is being tube-fed due to the risk of aspiration. 'As soon as they confirmed it was not bleeding, we were transported to a neighbouring hospital which actually happened to be a special stroke unit.' Noor said that the entire ordeal happened quickly and the decision was made that he was not a candidate for any immediate intervention. He was admitted to the hospital then and has been there ever since. While doctors in Malaysia have identified him as a strong candidate for intensive rehabilitation, the family's life has been thrown into limbo. Meant to fly back on July 22, Noor has remained in hospital with her husband 24/7, unable to leave his side, while their daughters stay with relatives. 'He has improved movement in his left arm and leg but obviously its limited what he can do with his hands and his walking is not good. 'Doctors are also trying to adjust his medication for his high blood pressure and diabetes,' she said. Noor is also highly concerned about Mohd's deteriorating mental health following his sickness. 'He can't do much, he struggles to do his buttons and pick things up so even just dressing himself is a challenge,' she said. 'He's very, very depressed. He keeps saying he ruined everything, that it's all his fault. But I keep telling him: "It's not. It's not your fault." 'He's feeling really down as well, because he knows that it's very unlikely he'll be able to drive and he used to do the school run for the girls.' The sudden crisis has now left Noor grappling with the emotional and financial toll. 'I'm supposed to be back at work on July 24,' she added. 'But now I'm having to negotiate, because I don't know when we'll be able to fly home.' Noor has been liaising with her husband's consultants in the UK to try and work out the safest time for the pair to journey back to Newcastle. 'There's also the uncertainty with the girls - one will be starting university, and they are both waiting for school results,' Noor said. 'So there is that dilemma as to whether I should let them go back on their own. But that will mean splitting up the family,' she added. A GoFundMe has now been launched to help support Noor and her family as they face growing costs for living expenses, potential repatriation, and their daughters' education. The fundraiser reads: 'Noor has always been a pillar of strength - for her family, and for everyone around her. Now, I hope we can be her support. 'Please consider donating whatever you can. No contribution is too small, and even if you're unable to give, your prayers and sharing this fundraiser are just as meaningful. 'Let's come together as a community to show Noor and her family that they're not alone.' Despite the trauma, Noor is full of praise for British Airways staff. 'They were absolutely very supportive, very professional, very, very good,' she said. 'I appreciate that according to their protocol they should have diverted but I think I know this was the right thing to do, potentially, he probably had a clot that caused his stroke, but by the time we got to Malaysia the clot had actually probably moved because when they scanned him they could not see the clot.' For now, the family's future remains uncertain - but Noor remains at her husband's side, quietly and determinedly holding it all together.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Weight loss drugs may lower risk of dementia, stroke: Study
Some popular weight loss drugs may lower the risk of dementia and stroke for patients with Type 2 diabetes and obesity, new research published in JAMA Network suggests. Patients taking semaglutide or tirzepatide medications — active ingredients in weight loss drugs such as Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy — showed a lower risk of developing certain diseases compared to those taking other, similar medications. Those include neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia and Alzheimer's, and cerebrovascular disease, which manifests in strokes, brain aneurysms and more. Researchers analyzed the health developments over seven years in 60,000 adults aged 40 or older diagnosed with both Type 2 diabetes and obesity, as recorded by the TriNetX U.S. network. The patients were all users of semaglutide, tirzepatide or other GLP-1 anti-diabetes drugs from December 2017 through June 2024. The effects were most prominent among women, patients older than 60 and those with a body mass index of 30 to 40. Researchers acknowledged more clinical trials are needed to corroborate their initial findings, but they maintained the data 'represents one of the most recent clinical database–driven analyses to investigate the neuroprotective and cerebrovascular associations of newer GLP-1RAs' for some patients. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Restaurateur Keith McNally on why he regrets "almost everything"
Restaurateur Keith McNally hates New Year's Eve – he doesn't like being told to have a good time. "I don't like to be forced to enjoy myself," he said. The "least hospitable man in hospitality," as he calls himself, is not a big smiler, either. "Inside," he explained. It doesn't seem to have hurt. Over 40 years, he's opened some of New York City's most popular restaurants, among them The Odeon, Balthazar, and Pastis – institutions almost as well-known as some of the bold-face names that frequent them. But McNally himself has never been much of a publicity hound, even less so after suffering a stroke in 2016. "Naturally I'm a bit embarrassed to be on TV talking like this—who wouldn't be?" he said. "But it's good for me to do it, because it gets me free of my embarrassment. Actually, I'm embarrassed talking about embarrassment!" But the British-born McNally has largely overcome his embarrassment in a new memoir, "I Regret Almost Everything." "The drawback for me with most memoirs [is], if you're not embarrassed by what you write, you've probably not spoken the truth," he said. "If you don't cringe over every word, it's not the truth." The hardest part to write, he said, was about his suicide attempt, "because my kids. I didn't want to leave them at all." That suicide attempt was two years after his stroke. He was found by his younger son, George. "He was supposed to not find me," McNally said. "Like most teenagers he would sleep until noon. But that day he woke up early, at 8:00 o'clock." "You expected him to be sleeping later, he woke up early, he saw you?" I asked. "Yeah, the bastard just woke up early and saved my life!" he laughed. McNally might joke about it now, but the father of five was suffering with an immobile right arm (he was right-handed), back pain, and aphasia (which causes his slurred speech), and his second marriage was falling apart. But as he writes, some sobering words from a doctor made him reflect: "He said that children who lose a parent to suicide were far more likely to kill themselves than the children of parents who don't. That stopped me in my tracks." Because he had such trouble communicating verbally after his stroke, McNally began using social media. "I was so embarrassed by my speech and the way I looked, I didn't go to my restaurants for one year," he said. "I was ashamed. But eventually I realized, nothing to be ashamed about. So, not only did I admit it wasn't a bad thing, but I went in on Instagram." McNally went viral in 2022 with a post criticizing former late-night host James Corden for allegedly being rude to the waitstaff at Balthazar. But now, McNally confesses in his book he isn't so sure calling out Corden was fair. He wrote: "For someone who's hyperconscious of humiliation since suffering a stroke, it now seems monstrous that I didn't consider the humiliation I was subjecting Corden to. I felt like I'd hit the jackpot of a slot machine and thousands of gold coins were spilling out in front of me. That night I ended up with over 90,000 followers. I was intoxicated with self-righteousness." "Uh-huh, it's true," McNally said. "But afterwards, I felt really bad." Corden later apologized. But the 73-year-old McNally has continued creating a stir online. Take this recent post he wrote about his friend, ABC News' Diane Sawyer, describing a weeklong affair the two had in the 1970s. The story made news … except that it was completely made up. I said, "Some people say, 'Listen, Keith, you know, it's really not cool for you to be sharing this.' And so, did you enjoy that back-and-forth with them?" "Yes. Yeah, I'm afraid, I did, yeah," he laughed. "And I wonder, do you think that the stroke – I don't know, is that, does that …" "Say what you think," said McNally. "Well, is it that you feel a little trapped inside of yourself?" "No," he replied. "I've always been a little like this inside. But since my stroke, and now on the outside." McNally grew up in the East End of London, one of four children born to Jack, a dockworker, and Joyce, a house and office cleaner. The family had little money. "I got angry inside at my parents," he said, "because we had no books in the house, no pictures on the walls. But they couldn't help it. They were working class who grew up with nothing." McNally says he didn't eat in a restaurant until he was 17. "Most of the time, when we were on a holiday, we would go to the restaurant, they would look the prices outside, and then she'd go, 'Not for us.'" And yet, when McNally moved to New York City in 1975 as an aspiring filmmaker, he made ends meet by working in restaurants. "I didn't eat asparagus until I came here," he said. "And the next day, I went to the doctor because the smell of my …" "That was so pungent from eating the asparagus?" I asked. "Yeah, I thought I was sick! So, I went to the doctor. He said, 'What'd you eat last night?'" McNally laughed. "You know what? You gotta put that in the paperback," I said. In 1980, McNally opened his own restaurant, The Odeon, in the neighborhood of Tribeca, in what had been a no-man's land. An immediate sensation, it established certain McNally "musts," such as the importance of having a hamburger on the menu. "I don't like hamburgers much myself," he said. "But it's a sign of snobbery not to have a hamburgers." McNally prides himself on putting his staff above even his diners. Some of his employees have been with him for over 30 years. And ever since returning to work post-stroke, McNally has come to appreciate how they feel about him. "I had to talk to my staff and was really nervous," he said. "They were really kind. In the end, kindness is really essential." I asked, "The stroke lifted the veil on what they thought of you?" "Yeah, yeah," McNally laughed. "They made me feel good." READ AN EXCERPT: "I Regret Almost Everything: A Memoir" by Keith McNally If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, you can reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. You can also chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here. For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email info@ For more info: Story produced by Kay Lim. Editor: Carol Ross.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
Sudbury hospital's MOTIVE stroke program cuts treatment delays
HNS's MOTIVE Project improves stroke care by bringing early assessments to patients and cutting delays. "Every second matters," says Dr. Ravinder Jeet Singh. Health Sciences North is revolutionizing stroke care through its Mobile TIA and Stroke with Adaptive Workflow or project MOTIVE, which brings specialized treatment directly to patients – reducing delays and improving recovery outcomes. Christine Perras Stroke survivor Christine Perras celebrates a sucessful recovery, which she attributes to Health Sciences North's MOTIVE program. (Madison Marier/CTV News Norhtern Ontario) For stroke survivor Christine Perras, the impact was immediate. 'Yay! I got up and walked! Yes! Everything was okay!' she said, highlighting the success of the program's rapid intervention model. Unlike the traditional approach, where patients were transferred to a designated stroke unit after initial treatment, MOTIVE deploys a specialized team to assess and treat patients wherever they are in the hospital. 'Every second matters to the brain because every minute, millions of neurons are dying,' said Dr. Ravinder Jeet Singh, a stroke neurologist at the hospital. 'That's why patients need to be treated and assessed quickly.' Dr. Ravinder Jeet Singh Dr. Ravinder Jeet Singh, a stroke neurologist at Health Sciences North, talks with CTV News about the hospital's MOTIVE program. July 18, 2025 (Madison Marier/CTV News Norhtern Ontario) Closing gaps in stroke care The MOTIVE team ensures no patient falls through the cracks by coordinating treatment plans and streamlining access to rehabilitation. Lisa Zeman, manager of the hospital's stroke prevention clinic, noted that under the old system, some patients were discharged before specialists could intervene. 'We don't always know about patients in ICU. Sometimes they're discharged before we're aware, and then we're backtracking to find them – whether they're still in the hospital or already sent home,' Zeman said. 'I don't want that to happen to anybody.' Dr. Singh emphasized that recovery is often better at home for many patients, particularly older adults. 'There are a lot of patients who are older, and they feel more comfortable and relaxed and at peace at home than being in a hospital bed.' Zeman clarified that Health Sciences North is not reducing patient intake but rather making recovery more efficient and comfortable. The MOTIVE team assesses each case individually, as not all strokes or transient ischemic attacks require prolonged hospitalization. HSN The exterior of Health Sciences North on July 18, 2025. (Madison Marier/CTV News Norhtern Ontario) Raising awareness: Know the signs of stroke Stroke remains a critical health threat in Canada. According to Statistics Canada, 878,500 Canadian adults aged 20 and older experienced a stroke in 2017-2018, with adults 55+ at higher risk. The Heart and Stroke Foundation is urging Canadians to recognize stroke symptoms using the FAST acronym: F ace ( Is it drooping? ) ace ( ) A rms ( Can you raise both? ) rms ( ) S peech ( Is it slurred or jumbled? ) peech ( ) Time (Call 911 immediately.) 'FAST is a mnemonic to help people recognize the most common signs of stroke,' said Rebecca Lund, Manager of Stroke at the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. 'Time is critical – delays can mean irreversible damage.' Lund also stressed the importance of understanding personal risk factors, including diet, exercise, and blood pressure. 'One of the best ways to do that is to talk to your health care team,' she said. With stroke being the fourth leading cause of death in Canadians, Lund encouraged the public to visit the Heart and Stroke Foundation's website to learn more about symptoms and prevention. A pilot program with long-term goals Currently funded as a two-year pilot by the Ministry of Health, the hospital hopes to secure ongoing support for MOTIVE beyond 2026. The goal is simple: get patients treated faster, home sooner, and on the path to a smoother recovery. For now, the program stands as a promising step forward in stroke care – one that prioritizes speed, efficiency, and patient well-being.
Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Times
I used to think it was a waste of money keeping an old dog alive
O ur border collie had a stroke at the weekend and it turns out I'm a hypocrite. Five years ago I watched in disbelief as a friend spent thousands of pounds he didn't have on improbable surgery for his 12-year-old dog. It wasn't even one of the good dogs. It was a pug with a face that looked like it was pressed against a dirty window and a cough like it smoked 40 a day. My friend loved that dog, though, and no amount of reason could convince him that it was time to let go. A wheelbarrow of money and six months' rehabilitation later, the pug had recovered. Another eight months passed and it died of old age. I resolved then not to make the same mistake. 'When Floss is old we're not going to spend a fortune keeping her alive for our benefit,' I announced, all man of the house. Harriet and the kids seemed to take it well.
