Can you imagine waking up one morning with half your body paralysed or weak, unable to speak, facial drooping and blurred vision. Or dropping to the floor with body convulsions and seizures? Having cognitive issues, memory loss, disrupted thoughts and chronic pain? These symptoms may sound like epilepsy or a stroke, but this is Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). FND is defined as problems with the functioning of the nervous system in a structurally normal brain, where the brain is unable to send/receive signals correctly. 1/3 of all neurological outpatient attendees are diagnosed with FND and it is the second most common neurological reason for outpatient appointments after headaches/migraines.  

FND Hope UK wants to raise awareness and understanding of FND by providing patients with their own patient booklet for £6, giving information on diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, journals, medication lists etc. to offer patient support (all information has been authenticated by UK researchers). We are unsure of a specific amount to ask for, but we need as much educational material and merchandise as possible to start paving the way to changing the perception of FND and advocating for health and medical protocols. We would also like to produce medical ID cards (7p each) for patients to carry with them, along with fact sheets, flyers and posters (also at 7p each) to disseminate to all medical professionals (ambulance crews, doctors, nurses, etc.), neurology departments and FND/neurology conference attendees. Additionally, patients can utilise these materials with doctors appointments. This will help us to work with medical and allied health professionals in educating and helping them to understand and define what Functional Symptoms are.      window.�L���