A FORMER primary school teacher from Northwich who was struck down by a debilitating neurological disorder wants more to be done to improve understanding of the condition.
Sarah Longman was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) last July, after contracting viral meningitis and Covid at the same time in January 2022, and being slow to recover.
FND has been called 'the most common neurological disorder you've never heard of', and is best described as a condition where the brain doesn’t send and receive messages accurately.
The 31-year-old has been left using a walking stick, and sometimes a wheelchair, as well as suffering brain fog, crippling fatigue, nerve pain, and loss of sensation in her left leg.
Now, at the start of International FND awareness month, the former Wharton CofE Primary School teacher wants to use what happened to her to raise awareness of a condition she says has been under-researched, underfunded, and so far, not properly understood.
She said: “When I thought I was recovering from Covid and getting ready to go back to work, I collapsed at home.
“I lost function throughout my left side, my face drooped, and I couldn’t speak or walk properly. My neighbour found me after I sent her a text saying I didn’t feel well and my door was open, but I don’t remember doing it.
“I was in hospital for two weeks with a lot of different symptoms, but they eventually said I’d had a migraine. I was told the symptoms may linger for some time but would eventually go away.
“They didn’t, and I eventually got diagnosed with FND last July. But once I had the diagnosis, there was very little information or ongoing support available.
“I’m still using a walking stick to get around, and if I’m out for a long time, I have to use a wheelchair.”
Sarah contacted FND Hope, a charity campaigning for more research into the condition, including its possible causes, and the best ways to support sufferers, which often involves helping them find ways to carry on doing the activities they value.
She now wants to support their work as best she can, which includes raising awareness of the condition, and the needed for more and better resourced research.
She added: “The charity has been incredibly helpful, because when I was diagnosed with FND, I had to find out information for myself about what it was.
“FND Hope helped me understand what I was dealing with, but medical professionals should be able to give that information, rather than having to rely people doing their own research.”
If you would like to find out more about the condition, visit FND Hope’s website.
A spokesman for FND Hope UK said: "The goal of FND Awareness Month is to shine a light on Functional Neurological Disorder by spreading messages of hope and raising awareness for the most common condition you have never heard of.
"People living with FND experience life-changing symptoms similar to Parkinson’s Disease, and long-term disability comparable to that of MS.
"Through awareness and education efforts we are putting resources into the hands of those in need."
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