One day, Abbie Mifsud was acting lethargic for the normally bright and bubbly six-year-old. A week later, she couldn’t walk in a straight line – and five months later, Abbie was gone, killed by the aggressive brain cancer, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). When Abbie was diagnosed in 2011, her mother, Amanda, was horrified and … Read more
Woman who had no idea she was pregnant and thought she had food poisoning gives birth to a baby boy in her bathroom Patricia Crawford of New Jersey gave birth to a healthy baby boy in her bathroom on March 28 She had had an upset stomach all night, but assumed it was just food … Read more
Forget blueberries or bananas in your porridge, add ‘chokeberries’ – scientists say the vitamin-packed, anti-ageing fruits are even healthier Chokeberries – also known as aronia berries – are high in antioxidants Their properties aren’t damaged when heated, unlike other fruits Scientists said this gives them great potential to be added to foods like porridge They … Read more
A snowboarder had to have her entire pelvis rebuilt after she smashed it when she hit a tree at 55mph. Amber English, from Missouri, needed a 12-hour operation after her devastating accident in March last year. She said doctors could find ‘no comparison’ for her injuries, which also triggered internal bleeding. Intense rehab for months … Read more
Difficulty conceiving seems to be on the rise, especially as more couples are trying to conceive at a later stage in their life. While most of the practical advice and emotional support related to infertility appears to be aimed at women, research has shown how male infertility has an equal role to play among couples … Read more
Could a cure for insomnia be in our genes? Difficulty sleeping could be hereditary as scientists discover 47 sections of DNA that determine how easily we nod off Of these 47 genetic sites, 36 had never been identified in previous studies Sleep quality may be related to the release of the feel-good chemical serotonin Those … Read more
A mother has revealed the heartbreak of watching her two-year-old die of ‘childhood dementia’. Vicky Cunningham, 34, of West Lothian, Scotland, said her baby, Mirryn, was happy and healthy, despite being born premature. But at 10 months old, Ms Cunningham instinctively knew something wasn’t right when Mirryn stopped trying to hold her hand or rock … Read more
A baby who weighed a tiny 1lb 9oz after being born at just 24 weeks and three days is finally home. River Willis arrived on July 27 last year via emergency C-section after his mother Cara Willis’ placenta came away from the wall of her womb – putting both their lives at risk. The newborn … Read more
A shop worker claims she suffered a stroke that left her arm swinging ‘with a life of its own’ before she was left paralysed after taking the Pill. Bobbie Jarvis, 24, was sent home from hospital in February after doctors told her she merely had a headache. But five days later, she had a stroke … Read more
A woman who fell through a trap door has ended up with a rare pain condition nicknamed ‘suicide disease’ because it makes patients wish they were dead. Annabelle Woods, 35, developed trigeminal neuralgia – a nerve pain condition affecting the face and head – after falling at work. She now gets a stabbing pain ‘like … Read more
Slender people consider people with obesity ‘less evolved’ and ‘less human’ than others, a new survey suggests. Public health officials believe that discrimination against people who are overweight is partly for blame for our dismal progress against the obesity epidemic. Despite the fact that one in three Americans and one in four Brits are now … Read more
Don’t miss your eyelids when you apply sun cream or risk getting skin cancer, warn academics Researchers discovered that vulnerable areas of skin are often missed This could be leaving people at risk of skin cancer, academics warned Skin cancer is on the rise despite global initiatives to increase SPF use By Kate Pickles Health … Read more
Three quarters of ‘healthy’ children’s food claiming to have ‘one of five-a-day’ fruit and vegetables DOESN’T have the recommended portion size –and may be fuelling obesity Researchers from the University of Glasgow tested 332 supermarket products They found 41 per cent of them were less healthy than they claimed to be Claims of no added … Read more