Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, undergoes surgery after breast cancer diagnosis
Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, has undergone surgery after being diagnosed with breast cancer, she revealed in an episode of her "Tea Talks" podcast released Monday.
2023-06-26 10:16
Disney is doubling its investment into parks
Disney is greatly expanding its investment into theme parks and cruises, the company said Tuesday.
2023-09-20 07:29
Woman in ‘living hell’ with brain slipping down her spine after ice-skating accident
A 25-year-old who has been mostly bed bound by a painful condition that is causing her brain to slip down her spine is pleading for help to raise funds for lifesaving treatment in the US to stabilise her skeleton. Desperate to raise the £200,000 she needs, Emily Balfour, from London, said she will eventually face permanent disability and is at risk of paralysis if she does not receive PICL, a procedure that injects stem cells into the spine through the back of the mouth. An ice-skating accident at the age of 14 flagged the alarming conditions that cause Emily to now live with “relentless levels of pain”. She was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS), a collection of rare conditions affecting the connective tissues that make her joints unstable and prone to dislocation, as well as craniocervical instability (CCI), meaning the area where her skull and spine meet is dangerously unstable. Emily also has Chiari malformation, which means the lower part of her brain has herniated and is pushing down through the top of her spinal column. “My health is continuing to deteriorate but I still haven’t managed to raise enough money to get the treatment I need in America,” Emily said. “It would be lifesaving for me and, unless I get the treatment, my life is on pause and stagnated, I’ve become largely bed bound. “And this issue doesn’t just affect me, there are so many people with this condition who are struggling to get funds for treatment abroad. Money is the barrier for us being able to live our lives.” In 2011, Emily was first diagnosed with EDS after an ice-skating accident resulted in a trip to the doctors. I want to keep my sense of agency but it’s getting more and more difficult. Emily Balfour Once a sporty and active teen, Emily is now confined to her bed most days. Due to Chiari malformation, Emily’s brain is pushing down through the top of her spinal column and she said medical specialists have informed her that some of her brain is no longer in her skull. Emily once had dreams of working in film, but she is unable to complete her degree and is also not able to work while she struggles with her health. She said: “I’m not able to participate in life, I’m unable to work and I keep having to delay the completion of my degree. “I have limited vision, I can’t see out of my left eye and I have recently dealt with limb paralysis.” Earlier this year, Emily was rushed to hospital after her left arm became paralysed and swollen. She said: “It looked like a dead person’s arm, I feared I’d never regain mobility of it. “It turned out I was struggling with blood flow to the arm, and I’ve regained limited use of my arm, but I’m high risk of it happening again. “I’ve seen people with these conditions lose function of their arms completely and that obviously concerns me because I live by myself. “I want to keep my sense of agency but it’s getting more and more difficult.” Emily said her brainstem has been damaged to the point where her body is not functioning and she suffers daily from extreme fatigue, periods of paralysis, and loss of vision. It’s incredibly frustrating and I have to accept that I can’t live the life I thought I would. Emily Balfour As a result, Emily now finds herself largely bed bound, is regularly in and out of hospital and suffers from excruciating symptoms which threaten irreversible physical disability and potentially death. Innovative treatment in the US to stabilise her skeleton will be life-changing for Emily, but it comes at a cost. She hopes to raise £200,000 for multiple stem cell treatments, medical care and accommodation in Colorado, USA, where she will undergo a procedure known as PICL to repair and strengthen the ligaments that keep her skull stable. She said: “I’m in relentless levels of pain and, the more activity I do where I’m moving my neck, the worse the pain is. “If I don’t get treatment then it’s looking likely that eventually I will lose the use of one or both of my arms. “The longer it goes on, I’m losing more and more years of my life.” Before her diagnosis, Emily had dreams of working in film, having attended the BFI Film Academy as a teen. She also had plans to travel after finishing her English degree, which is currently on hold. Emily said: “It’s incredibly frustrating and I have to accept that I can’t live the life I thought I would. “I’m seeing other people my age having fun and building their careers but until I get the PICL procedure, I’m stuck. “There are other people who are also in my situation and it’s not an easy journey but I just hope that these treatments will be easier to access closer to home so we can get back to living.” I just want to be able to complete my degree and have a normal life and not be stuck in this living hell. Emily Balfour Emily hopes more research into EDS will result in more treatment options becoming available. For Emily, she says the procedure will be a lifeline and enable her to start living again. “Getting treatment will change everything,” she said. “I wanted to write and make films, but I am now more interested in medicine and want to get a psychotherapy qualification and work in that field. “I used to be so passionate about movies and reading, but because of my brain and vision issues, I’m restricted to audiobooks now. I can’t even do basic things like watching TV, that once brought me so much joy. “I just want to be able to complete my degree and have a normal life and not be stuck in this living hell.” To donate to Emily’s fundraiser, visit: www.gofundme.com/f/urgent-treatment-for-emily. 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2023-05-09 15:26
'Red Rooms' review: Austere giallo for our tech-detached age
She's a fashion model! She's a computer genius! She's got dark obsessions that have her
2023-07-29 17:22
US economic growth expanded much faster in the first quarter than previously estimated
The US economy expanded at a much faster pace in the first three months of the year than previously estimated, the Commerce Department reported on Thursday.
2023-06-29 20:59
Erdogan appoints former US bank executive as Turkish central bank chief, in sign of policy change
Turkey's president has appointed Hafize Gaye Erkan, a former U.S.-based bank executive, to head the central bank
2023-06-09 16:58
10 Hollywood actors who you probably didn't know could sing as well as they act
There are several Hollywood stars who, apart from being accomplished actors, are prolific singers
2023-08-13 17:23
Popyrin puts Australia ahead against Finland in Davis Cup semi
Australia put one foot in the Davis Cup final after Alexei Popyrin beat Finland's Otto Virtanen in the first singles rubber on...
2023-11-25 01:27
Get a lifetime license to Microsoft Office for Mac or Windows for under £40
TL;DR: A lifetime license to Microsoft Office for Mac or Windows is on sale for
2023-08-10 12:20
American sprinter Gabby Thomas well-researched in power of sleep, even writing paper on rest
The importance of a good night’s rest is not lost on American sprinter Gabby Thomas
2023-08-23 19:00
Alphabet Cloud Unit Results Miss Estimates; Shares Fall
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2023-10-25 05:56
Drake fan who threw 36G Bra at rapper has been approached by Playboy
A Drake fan, who went viral for throwing her bra at the star, has now been approached by Playboy. Veronica Correia, 21, attended the New York gig, where she threw the garment at the 'Hotline Bling' rapper. Footage shows Drake holding the bra, asking the audience "36G?" He continued: "Locate this woman immediately!" Correia soon took to TikTok to confirm she was the woman-in-question. She enthusiastically told viewers: "ITS MEEEEE!!!!" Inevitably, the woman's social media channels blew up – and even attracted the attention of Playboy. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter "Hi Veronica! You’re gorgeous," Playboy wrote to her in a message from their official Instagram account. "We recently launched a new invitation-only Playboy app that gives creators the opportunity to earn by monetizing exclusive content similar to the ones you’re already posting on IG and TikTok. We would love to invite you to apply." @veronicaaacorr401 #drake36G #Drake #brooklyn #barclayscenter #itsallablurtour #36G On Wednesday (26 July), Correia returned to TikTok with a screenshot of her image on Playboy Centerfold. She shared her love for being behind the camera, thanks to her father being a professional photographer. "Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined seeing my photos on Playboy Centerfold," she gushed. "My goal for my journey on this platform is not only to continue what I love but to also instill that same confidence in other woman!" She continued: "Especially mothers focusing on how beautiful we are despite our sizes and marks! Thank you to everyone for the comments, likes shares and especially follows! This is all a dream come true." @veronicaaacorr401 Having my father as a professional photographer, growing up I had a love for being behind the camera 📸 the flash, the lights and the posing instilled confidence in me at a young age I continued to carry with me. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined seeing my photos on Playboy Centerfold! My goal for my journey on this platform is not only to continue what I love but to also instill that same confidence in other woman! Especially mothers focusing on how beautiful we are despite our sizes and marks! Thank you to everyone for the comments, likes shares and especially follows! This is all a dream come true 💭💓 Speaking to the New York Post, she said: "I know I can crush it and make meaningful income. "Other Bunnies are making millions of dollars a year on Playboy, so I couldn’t be more excited to tap into that potential. I will be posting exclusive content for my fans and subscribers that makes me feel confident and beautiful." Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-07-27 19:24
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