Latest news with #MultipleSclerosis
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Woman takes on 70 charity challenges in two years
A Cornish woman has spent almost two years completing 70 challenges to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in a tribute to her mum who died with the condition. Pippa Marshall, from Wadebridge, is now preparing for her biggest task yet; walking, cycling and swimming the 31-mile (50km) length of the River Camel. Her mother Carol was diagnosed with MS when she was aged 19 and about to get married. As she gradually lost her mobility, Pippa became her carer. Ms Marshall said: "My purpose is to honour Mum's memory and highlight the gift of movement that able bodied people take for granted." MS is a debilitating neurological condition affecting the brain and spinal cord. It causes severe pain, fatigue, cognitive issues and vision problems. According to NHS England, more than 150,000 people in the UK are living with the condition. The River Camel challenge includes walking 12 miles (20km) from its source above Camelford to Wenford on the Camel Trail where Ms Marshall will cycle another 12 miles to Wadebridge and then swim another six miles (10km) to Padstow. Ms Marshall said it was a particularly personal challenge. "Mum grew up in Grogley and went to school in Nanstallon, where she is now buried," she said. "I grew up in Wadebridge so the River Camel has always been there in one way or another, linking us past and present. "I am trying to train as I am a 50-year-old, unfit woman but have a lot of determination." She said all of her 70 challenges had been inspired by her mother's determination despite her illness. "Mum was housebound for approximately 10 years and ended up with epilepsy too. "She suffered so much and her world became so small. I have always found it hard to deal with how sorrowful the whole thing was. "She never complained, she was always bright and cheerful and the thing that she said was that there is always someone worse off than yourself. "So this has all been about telling the world that Mum - Carol Marshall existed." More news stories for Cornwall Listen to the latest news for Cornwall Carol Marshall died aged 63 and her daughter decided to take on her 70 challenges to mark what would have been her mum's 70th birthday. Other activities have included hang gliding, swimming around St Michael's Mount, singing in public, entering cake competitions using her mum's cookbook and entering her mother's artwork into local events. Her big 50km challenge, when she will be supported by Open Water Devon, is set to take place on 22 June. Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ 'My mum's MS inspires me to run ultra marathons' Man takes on five-year £500k charity river challenge NHS England - Multiple sclerosis
Metro
4 days ago
- Health
- Metro
More than 100,000 people sign Scope's petition against government disability cut
Volunteers from learning disability charity Scope today handed a petition to the government with the voices of 100,0000 people opposing the cuts to welfare and PIP. Today, members of the charity gathered at Downing Street after receiving the backing of people across the UK and the disabled community. In March, Labour announced plans to save £5bn a year by overhauling the welfare system, plans which have been called 'barbaric' by campaigners. Volunteers for the charity included Rachel Batton, 53, from Cardiff, who, if the government papers are given the green light, her PIP cuts would be halved. She told Metro she was 'really scared' about the future and in 'constant stress waiting on tenterhooks' awaiting what cuts the government is going to make. Rachel has classical type EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome). EDS impacts Rachel by causing joint and muscle pain, easy bruising, frequent dislocations, and severe fatigue. She also has Multiple Sclerosis (MS), which further affects her mobility and fatigue. She said she felt 'resilient' but that there was a 'black cloud' over her everyday. She said: 'You feel like you're walking through treacle, just because your symptoms are getting worse and things and your pain is getting significantly worse. 'I can't remember a time when my pain was as bad as this, because I'm stressing about it every single day.' Rachel receives Personal Independence Payment (PIP) at the enhanced rate for daily living and the standard rate for mobility. Without PIP, Rachel would not be able to afford to manage the extra costs she is faced with. It's like, it feels like this is a tick box exercise, and the decision has already been made, and they're not going to change their mind but we've got to try.' 'It's like, it feels like this is a tick box exercise, and the decision has already been made, and they're not going to change their mind but we've got to try.' Rachel has a number of disability related extra costs and the amount of money she is about to receive from the government is going to be halved, she said. She needs frequent hot baths and consistent heating to manage her symptoms. Fatigue and mobility issues make food preparation difficult, so she relied on more expensive pre-cut ingredients and ready meals Scope said in the petition: 'Needing more financial support is not a choice. Disabled people often live in pain and in fear of losing vital support. 'After years of rising prices, many disabled people are already on the brink. Cutting disability benefits will deal another catastrophic blow to disabled people's lives.' Jessica Leigh, campaigns manager at disability equality charity Scope, said: 'We're here to urge the government to drop these catastrophic plans to rip billions from the welfare budget. 'Life costs a lot more when you're disabled, and these cuts will have a devastating effect on disabled people's health, ability to live independently or work, as in Rachel's case. 'Without PIP, she won't be able to afford the things she needs to manage her conditions and the pain which comes with them, meaning she could no longer be able to work. 'The government must listen to disabled people and change course.' Last year, Scope research found that on average, disabled households need an additional £1,010 a month to have the same standard of living as non-disabled households. If you want to find out more information about the petition visit: Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Jamie Vardy next club odds: Striker will be in demand after leaving Leicester and could head north of the border MORE: 'Monster' 18ft python rescued along with three others after being found dumped in woods MORE: Astrid & Miyu launch unmissable summer sale on jewellery for a limited time only
The Irish Sun
12-06-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
I ignored eye issue while driving before being diagnosed with incurable disease – watch out for key signs
A WOMAN has told how she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis after noticing a strange symptom while driving. Affecting over 9,000 people in Ireland, the incurable disease is the most common disabling neurological disease among young Irish adults. 4 Marie Pickup is a 38-year-old mum who was diagnosed with MS last December Credit: Journalist Collect 4 The brave mum-of-two had symptoms for over a year before her diagnosis Credit: Journalist Collect 4 And she is now sharing her story with others on social media Credit: Journalist Collect Marie Pickup from The 38-year-old's journey began in October 2023, when she first noticed pain in her eye while The mum then visited the eye casualty unit where she was diagnosed with optic perineuritis, a rare inflammation around the optic nerve. Marie said: 'It all started in October 2023 - and it was just one of those things where when you're driving and you're looking behind you to go into another lane, I would notice that my eye was sore. READ MORE IN HEALTH 'I was just kind of ignoring it to be honest - I didn't have any reason to think it was anything major. 'It was actually my mum, who's a nurse, that said to go into eye casualty and just let them have a look at it, because it wasn't going away. 'They thought it was optic perineuritis, where you have a protective funnel that your optic nerve goes through becomes inflamed.' This led to Marie getting her first MRI scan, which revealed initial lesions on her brain. Most read in Health Treated with steroids to reduce the inflammation, the Multiple Sclerosis explained Over the following year, Marie underwent a series of tests, including lumbar punctures and blood samples sent to specialists in By October 2024, and over a year after her initial symptoms, her consultants were 97 percent certain she had MS. And this diagnosis was formally confirmed in December 2024. She said: 'At that point, you're like, am I hoping for MS, or am I hoping for whatever else they're testing for? 'By the time October last year came around, they were 97 percent sure - and then when my symptoms progressed between then and December it was a definite diagnosis as a lesion was now on my spine. 'At this point, my whole central nervous system was being affected.' When Marie first heard the words 'multiple sclerosis,' she admits it was overwhelming. Although she revealed she wasn't shocked with the diagnosis, there were moments of fear and uncertainty about what this meant for her future. At the same time, she felt slightly relieved because finally there was an explanation for the symptoms and the uncertainty around her Despite her fear, Marie decided to face her diagnosis with a positive mindset, refusing to let MS define her life or limit what her future entails. And she describes this attitude as essential in coping with the uncertainty and variability that MS brings. She added: 'I suppose, when he said it to me, it wasn't a surprise to be told I had it - at this point I had major symptoms and a 97 percent chance of having it. "Even though it's not a shock, it's just something it's very hard to get your head around, because MS is one of those things that obviously there's no cure for. 'The hardest thing to get my head around, was like, this is forever - and you know, there's no getting better. 'But now you hear people who are 70 and are doing great - you wouldn't even know they have it. It's a completely different diagnosis from 20 or 30 years ago because treatment has progressed so much." MS is known as a ' And Marie experiences this firsthand. Major warning signs of MS In May 2024, she began experiencing double vision while in December she had a major relapse where her left leg and arm went completely numb. Severely impacting her mobility, she needed a walking stick and began physiotherapy to regain some function. Fatigue remains one of Marie's most debilitating symptoms, as it does for up to 80 percent of MS patients. She also struggles with vision problems and cognitive symptoms like difficulty concentrating. Living with these symptoms has brought its challenges - causing her children to worry about her health, forcing her to leave her Still, Marie finds strength in her support system. Her husband Graeme, two sons and family have been a constant source of encouragement. And the mum-of-two has also connected with MS Ireland along with a childhood friend who lives with the illness. She said: 'My family are just absolutely wonderful - we've kind of been through a few things recently that aren't great, but we've just always been close. 'There's my husband Graeme, our two boys, my sisters, mum and dad - and we've always been a close family, but especially in these last few years. 'I can call them whenever I want, if there's anything going on I can call my parents or my sister and they would come - I know they would do it. 'I've also reached out to MS Ireland and through TikTok I've connected with an old childhood friend who also has MS - the support has been absolutely amazing.' Although she can't stress enough that she's no MS expert, Marie has recently made major lifestyle changes to try and gain back some control. WHAT IS MS? Multiple Sclerosis is a complex and often unpredictable In simple terms, it happens when the immune system mistakenly attacks the myelin sheath - the protective coating around nerve fibers. This causes inflammation and damage that disrupt the messages the brain sends to the body, leading to a wide range of symptoms that can be overlooked. Statistics show it strikes Recent lifestyle changes Since May, she has adopted a vegan And she now talks openly about listening to her body, allowing herself to rest on difficult days and pacing herself to avoid burning out. One of Marie's biggest hurdles since her diagnosis has been discussing her MS publicly - and at first she feared stigma or being misunderstood. But she eventually turned to And this brave mum-of-two said she now hopes to use her platform to challenge common misconceptions about the illness. She added: "For the most part MS is a disability you can't see and if you know someone with it one day they could be absolutely fine and the next they're not. "A lot of people with MS suffer in silence and it is a very difficult thing to have. "Just because somebody looks okay doesn't necessarily mean that they are, and I suppose we all need to have a bit more empathy around that.' 4 The mum-of-two is refusing to let MS define her life or limit what her future entails Credit: Journalist Collect
Web Release
10-06-2025
- Health
- Web Release
LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital Hosts Second Annual Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Campaign
As part of its ongoing commitment to community engagement, patient education and healing with compassion, LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital successfully hosted its second consecutive Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Campaign on Saturday, May 31, 2025 welcoming over 120 Multiple Sclerosis patients and their family members for a day centered on learning, support, and well-being. Held in the hospital auditorium, the comprehensive program featured expert-led sessions that tackled key aspects of MS diagnosis, management, and lifestyle adaptation. The agenda included: Opening Remarks by Dr. Maya Zeineddine Understanding Multiple Sclerosis: From Pathogenesis to Treatment, presented by Drs. Mohamad Dassouki, Samar Abbas, and Abdul Rahman Shatila Managing Urinary Symptoms and Pregnancy in MS, led by Dr. Karl Jallad Mental Health Matters in MS, discussed by Dr. Jocelyne Azar Rehabilitation and Physical Well-being in MS, presented by Mr. Richard Zeidan Attendees also took part in a guided chair yoga session, introducing gentle movement techniques aimed at enhancing flexibility, balance, and overall wellness—demonstrating the hospital's holistic approach to MS care. The day concluded on a warm, celebratory note with a networking lunch, a cake-cutting ceremony, and gift distribution held in the hospital garden. These moments fostered community connection, gratitude, and a spirit of solidarity among patients, caregivers, and medical professionals alike. 'We are proud to continue raising awareness about MS and to offer our patients not just treatment, but education, support, and a true sense of community,' said Dr. Maya Zeineddine. LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital remains dedicated to advancing patient-centered care and education through impactful initiatives that bring people together and empower them with knowledge.
BBC News
10-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Lottery win couple thought news of £1m prize was a 'joke'
A chef who has supported his wife through multiple sclerosis said winning £1m on the National Lottery "means everything".Ian Steele, of Heywood, Greater Manchester, said he started "shaking like a leaf" when he realised his Euromillions Millionaire Raffle prize was not a the 53-year-old called his wife, Nick, who was diagnosed with MS 18 years ago, to tell her the news she too thought it was a "cruel joke"."It was only when the lady from The National Lottery turned up to pay us and handed us a bottle of champagne that I think I finally let myself believe it was real," he said. Mr Steele said he went off to work after checking the National Lottery app which confirmed he had no matching numbers. But during his break he spotted an email which said he had won a prize. "I thought no I haven't, I've already checked."I logged into the app and still only had £1.50 in my account, but then it sunk in. In the draw results the raffle number was lit up in blue with a tick next to it."Mr Steele won by matching the raffle code on the EuroMillions Millionaire Maker - a unique code on each ticket which is entered into a raffle, with a top prize of £1m. Mr Steele added that, because of Nick's diagnosis while pregnant with their daughter Chloe, the couple had not always been able to enjoy the things many people took for granted."Nick had to medically retire from her role as a specialist dental nurse, supporting and caring for extremely sick people at Manchester Hospital. "While it was absolutely the right thing to do, it made things that little bit more difficult. We've had to be careful with money and not splurge," he the win now means the couple have a chance to fulfil lifelong dreams. "I'm the dreamer in the house and always said that if we won big, we'd treat ourselves," Mr Steele said the first thing daughter Chloe asked was if the win meant the family could go to Disneyland."We're big Star Wars fans and it's something we've always talked and dreamed about – and now that dream will come true," Mr Steele added that he planned to continue his job as a school chef manager but added that the win "takes the financial weight off our shoulders". Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
