Laura’s story of recovery, family and hope for the future

In April 2026, Laura began experiencing headaches, dizziness and tingling throughout her body. As the months went on, she knew something wasn’t right, but never imagined how dramatically her life was about to change.

“On 24 June, I went to hospital and in less than eight hours I was admitted and from there on, my whole life completely changed. Nothing could have prepared me for what was to follow. One moment I was living my normal life, making plans and looking forward to the future and the next I was facing a reality I never imagined.”

Neurologists diagnosed Laura with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), Functional Non-Epileptic Seizures (FNES), Functional Movement Disorder (FMD) and Functional Limb Weakness (FLW).

“My diagnoses have affected every aspect of my daily life. I can no longer walk and now use a wheelchair. I live with seizures, paralysis, blurred and jittery vision, speech difficulties including slurred speech, stuttering and periods where I am unable to speak at all, daily internal tremors, involuntary movements and ongoing cognitive difficulties.”

“Losing so much independence so suddenly has been incredibly difficult. There are times when I grieve for the life I had before and the future I thought I would have. Learning to adapt to these changes has been one of the biggest challenges of my life.”

Due to the severity of Laura’s symptoms and the life-changing nature of her condition, neurologists referred her to Brainkind Neurological Centre Lancashire for 24-hour nursing care and intensive daily therapy.

“Arriving at Brainkind felt overwhelming. My life had changed overnight, I had been diagnosed with a condition I had never heard of, and my life and body now no longer felt like mine. I had no idea what my future would look like. I was frightened, uncertain and trying to come to terms with everything that had happened.

“From the moment I arrived, the team at Brainkind treated me as a person, not just a diagnosis. They saw beyond my condition and focused on helping me rebuild my confidence, independence and hope for the future.”

“Brainkind has supported me through one of the most difficult periods of my life. Through specialist nursing care, therapy and rehabilitation, they have helped me focus on what I can achieve rather than what I have lost. Recovery is not always a straight line and there are still difficult days, but every small achievement reminds me that progress is possible. Having people around me who believe in me and my potential when I sometimes struggle to believe in it myself, has made a huge difference.”

“Throughout this journey, my sister, Stacy, brother-in-law, Eoin and nephews, Niáll age 5, and Ruadhán, 8, have been my rock. They have believed in me, stood beside me through every challenge, setback and uncertain moment. Their love, encouragement and support have helped me through some of the darkest moments of my life. When everything around me changed, they never stopped loving me and believing in me.”

Stacy and her family chose to fundraise for Brainkind as they have seen the difference the charity is making to support Laura’s rehabilitation. When the family holidayed in the Lake District this summer, they decided to challenge themselves to walk as many of the iconic Wainwright Walks as they could in one week.

They completed an incredible 11 walks, including the demanding Skiddaw, the fourth-highest peak in England at 931m (3,054 ft).

Stacy said: “Each summit we reached was a tribute to the strength and determination my sister shows whilst living with a life changing neurological condition, and to the outstanding work carried out by Brainkind every day.”

After completing the walks, Stacy said, “Niáll and Ruadhán pushed themselves through the challenge with determination for their Auntie Laura, they amaze us.”

The family have raised an incredible £1,000, which will go towards supporting Brainkind’s neurological centre, based in Preston, providing specialist support, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and neuropsychology support.

Laura said, “Watching them dedicate their time and energy to raising money for the place that is helping me rebuild my future has been incredibly emotional. It means so much to know they want to give something back and help ensure that others facing life changing neurological conditions, can access the same support and opportunities that I am receiving.”

“My goal is to continue working hard in rehabilitation, regain as much independence as possible and eventually return home. I know that being discharged from Brainkind will not mean the end of my journey. My life will continue to be very different from the life I had before functional neurological disorder and I have been told that I will still require ongoing care and support. There will undoubtedly be challenges ahead, along with many unknowns.”

“Brainkind has given me something I didn’t have when I first arrived. They have given me hope, confidence and belief in a future that is still worth living for. Brainkind has given me a head start on the next chapter of my life, a chapter I never imagined I would be living. They have helped me prepare for that future and given me the support and encouragement I need to live my life.”

“I hope to continue raising awareness and fundraising for Brainkind for many years to come because I have experienced the life-changing impact of their hard work and support. They helped me see that although my life may be different from the one I had planned, it can still be meaningful and full of possibilities.

“If sharing my story helps raise awareness of functional neurological disorder or helps another person access the care and rehabilitation they need, then that would mean a great deal to me.”

If you’d like to support Stacy and her family’s amazing challenge, please visit their fundraising page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/stacy-long-4…