Holly Attlesey
Holly’s Fundraiser for FND Awareness Month
Fundraising for FND Hope UK
Story
Hi, my name is Holly and I was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder in October 2022.
Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is a problem with the functioning of the nervous system and how the brain and body send and receive signals.
This disorder left me with seizures, unable to walk, disturbed speech, intermittent blindness, dystonia, memory issues and so much more.
Despite all of these debilitating symptoms I was discharged from hospital with no clear diagnosis and no pathway to help rehab my body.
I have spent the last 6 months fighting to be heard by medical professionals and receive the care and understanding I desperately need. During this time I started documenting my progress on the social platform TikTok. My aim was to reach out to people with FND and offer support and guidance on the different things I was trying to help myself.
The month of April is dedicated to raising awareness about FND and so I have decided to help in these efforts.
100,000 people are affected by FND in the UK and my aim is to do a total of 100,000 steps throughout the month of April (this averages at 3,333 steps per day) to represent all of us. Whilst this may not seem like a lot, to me this is akin to climbing Everest and I will be updating my progress on this daily through my TikTok channel @hollyattlesey. On days I am unable to do my steps my partner will be doing them on my behalf whilst I am in my wheelchair.
I will also be sending out a letter every day of April to different health care practices, governing bodies and celebrities to try and spread awareness and understanding for Functional Neurological disorder.
FND Hope UK is part of the first & only global patient-led charity for people with Functional Neurological Disorder. Registed Charity England & Wales (1173607) and Scotland (SC048333)
We are a force for change, uniting patients and their families with leading researchers and advocates to pioneer a new standard of care for FND.
Our mission is to promote awareness, support affected individuals and advance research.