Health News

Tiffany Wedekind (pictured), 41, of Ohio, has been told she is one in 50million due to her diagnosis of progeria - identified in 156 people worldwide - in her twenties. She is 'remarkable' because children are usually diagnosed with progeria in their first two years of life, and tend to not live past adolescence. She is the oldest known living person with the debilitating condition, with the longest known survivor, Leon Botha, being 26 before his death. However this is not clarified. She suffers with tooth decay, hair loss and heart problems due to the disease, and is just over four feet five inches tall and weighs 58 pounds (26kg).

Amanda White, 37, of Didsbury, Manchester, found a lump in her breast in January 2017 while training to trek to Everest Base Camp. Ms White - who was head of rail at Transport for Greater Manchester - visited a walk-in GP centre on her lunch break and was later diagnosed with cancer. While she endured chemo - as well as surgery and three weeks of radiotherapy - Ms White wore the PAXMAN Scalp Cooling System cap (seen right). Now in remission, Ms White (pictured left after being given the all-clear) credits the cap for giving her the confidence to continue living her life while she fought the disease.

Scientist Jim Allison (inset), a colorful Texan who loves playing the harmonica and the music of Willie Nelson (main, circled center, with Allison, circled far left, in 1975), became interested in science and cancer research at an early age, after losing his mother to lymphoma when he was just 11. After earning a PhD in biological sciences from the University of Texas at Austin, he began doggedly studying T-cells - which he found 'wondrous' - and how the body's immune system could be used to fight cancer. After moving from Texas to California to New York - and the demise of his first marriage to wife Malinda, which ended because he was 'obsessed' with the research - his great strides and discoveries earned him international acclaim and eventually the Nobel Prize in December 2018 (top right). He remains very close to Malinda (bottom right, left) and is remarried to another cancer researcher, Padmanee Sharma (bottom right, right). Allison is the subject of new documentary Breakthrough: This Is What A Hero Looks Like, which will have its world premiere next month at the SXSW film festival. Director Bill Haney tells DailyMail.com that Allison is 'a scientific rebel on ... a classic hero's journey'

Nearly 300,000 newborns wind up in the NICU each year. They are covered in wired monitors that tear at fragile skin and make it hard for parents to cuddle their kids. A Chicago team may have a solution.

A new study from Boston and Tufts Universities has found that fast food is less healthy today than it was 30 years ago due to increased calories, portion sizes and sodium content. The total number of items spiked by 226 percent over the last three decades, roughly 23 new items a year, but it wasn't good news when it comes to nutritional value. Calories in all three categories increased mainly because of portion sizes increasing. Per decade, entrée sizes rose by 30 calories, desserts by 62 calories and sides by about 14 calories. Sodium also increased by about 14 percent in entrees, 12 percent in sides and four percent in desserts.

Tahir Khan (left), 44, Sophia Ahmed (centre), 39, and Omar Khan (right), 27, underwent the drastic surgery when a series of tests at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge revealed they had up to a 90 per cent risk of developing the disease. All three - who live in Walsall, West Midlands - carry the genetic mutation CDH1, which can cause aggressive stomach cancer. Their mother Pearl Khan died aged 49, six months after she was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2002. And their sister Yasmin Khan passed away from the same disease aged 32 in February 2012.

Kalo Hoy's parents noticed small red spots forming across his face, chest and arm last month. His mother, Lorna Hoy, 27, from Salford, claims their fears were dismissed twice by doctors. It wasn't until their third attempt to seek medical advice that their concerns were taken seriously. Kalo (left, with herpes) tested positive for the herpes simplex virus - something doctors suggest he caught through kissing an infected adult. Kalo is pictured right after his ordeal.

Louise King, 28, from Hampshire, has slathered herself with the strong creams since she was five years old. She ditched the treatment after discovering it could be 'addictive'. Miss King said she has suffered with fatigue, sickness, sudden weight loss, depression, forgetfulness and confusion, as well as oozing skin that was peeling off her face (see right and inset). She has had to leave her job in the NHS and is cared for by her parents. Miss King claims her GP advised more creams at risk of being 'hospitalised'. (See left, with her boyfriend before she ditched the creams).

Myra Ali (see right), 31, from Solihull, West Midlands, was born with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, which causes her skin to break and tear as easily as a piece of paper. She endures pain on a daily basis and is always covered in bandages, taking an hour and a half to put on every morning. When she was younger Ms Ali, who is a translator and motivational speaker (see top left) had full use of her hands. But over time scar tissue between her fingers has fused them together making them 'mitten-like'. She has had surgery, lasting five hours, almost every year since she was a child, and several cosmetic procedures (see bottom left).

Anya Behl, who is 18 months old (see left), was diagnosed with alternative hemiplegia of childhood (AHC), a neurological condition which can cause numbness or full loss of feeling and movement. Her parents, Abhishek and Katherine Behl (see right), from Edinburgh, live in fear an attack will strike at any moment, and won't leave Anya' side. There are around 45 families in the UK and 500 worldwide coping with the rare condition which has no effective treatment.

Cora Ruben (left) has lymphedema, which occurs when the lymphatic system does not work properly, leading to abnormal swelling. The two-year-old, of Minnesota, had an accumulation of fluid in her abdomen, legs, feet and - most obviously - hands (seen right). Cora endured numerous treatments, including massages and compression bandages, however, her fists continued to get bigger. Desperate, her parents Kasey and Brett Ruben, met with an expert in Germany, who discovered 80 per cent of the youngster's swelling was down to fat and just 20 per cent lymph fluid. After having the fat sucked out of her hands, Cora can pick things up and wear normal clothes like any other little girl, with experts being optimistic she will lead a 'normal life'.

Renee Baker, 36, of Adelaide, was devastated to discover her babies were not growing as they should during her seven-week scan. Ms Baker and her partner Gareth Norman, 31, were referred to Brisbane to meet with a specialist, who diagnosed twin-twin transfusion syndrome. This stopped one of the babies receiving enough nutrients in the womb. Doctors recommended Ms Baker terminate the baby who was falling behind on his growth for the sake of his healthier twin, which the couple immediately ruled out. Defying expectations, Ms Baker carried the twins until 32 weeks, with Sonny and Kash arriving via emergency C-section on June 2 2017, weighing 2lb 3oz and 4lb 4oz, respectively. Deprived of nutrients, Sonny had a hole in his heart and was fitted with a pacemaker (seen in the X-ray inset) on June 27. The boys are pictured left recently and right as newborns with their mother.

Amanda Tinney, 30 (left and left), from St Bernard Parish, Louisiana, experienced her first heart attack on her 26th birthday in 2014. Her sister Kelli Tinney, 28 (right and right), had an incident that resembled a heart attack in 2015. She was diagnosed with myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscle. After her second heart attack, Amanda learned she had myocardial bridge, which is when a coronary artery goes through the heart muscle instead of lying on its surface. Amanda takes medication to reduce spasms, which caused the second heart attack, but has suffered two more minor ones. The sisters are now urging women to recognize the signs of heart disease before it's too late.

Purdy, 39, had her legs amputated below the knee and both kidneys removed during a battle with sepsis and meningitis at 19. A year later, she received a kidney from her father, saving her from dialysis. This week, the medal-winning Paralympian and Dancing With The Stars performer faced losing either her entire leg or her kidney. The issue is that doctors need to use medical contrast dye to operate on the leg - and that dye affects transplanted or diseased kidneys. Now out of surgery, doctors say they believe they may have saved both by only using a small amount of dye.

Martin Ray 'Chucky' Campbell Jr was six days from turning nine when he fell ill, repeatedly vomiting, on the night of Saturday February 16.

Katie Barber, from Long Island (left), began experiencing shortness of breath after just walking upstairs as well as pain in her leg. Doctors confirmed Ms Barber's own beliefs that she had deep vein thrombosis and a clotting disorder called Prothrombin gene mutation. But while having physical therapy, Miss Barber was having episodes of dizziness that would leave her unable to stand. In the hospital, scans revealed she had an abnormal heart rate, diagnosed as junctional rhythm (see right. See inset, after having the pacemaker fitted).

Tom Phipps (left), 63, of Bristol, was the first patient to have the surgery. He claims he saw improvement to his mobility and energy levels during the trial, and even reduced his medication. And trial participant Chris Proctor is pictured right having the implant fitted, which she describes as sounding like someone 'furiously sharpening a pencil inside her head'. The device - convection enhanced delivery implants - allows doctors to inject drugs through a port in the side of the head and then down a tube directly into the key part of the brain. Developed by scientists at the University of Bristol, the implant lets medication bypass the blood-brain barrier, which usually keeps drugs out. An illustration of how the implant works is pictured in the inset.

Heather Bellamy, of Downham Market, Norfolk, relapsed in December 2018, after having two stem cell transplants and chemotherapy since 2014 (see right, in hospital this year). Before she became ill (see left), the mother-of-four was a nurse for 25 years in the NHS, who have told her there are no further treatments available in the UK. She found out about a drug on Facebook called Idhifa, which targets the gene mutation that Ms Bellamy has called IDH2. Her family, including retired parents and children are fighting to raise the money (see inset, Ms Ballamy with her family).

Vicky Doxat, now 38, dismissed her flu-like symptoms as mastitis - painful, inflamed breasts - while feeding her newborn twins in 2016. But her left breast soon turned 'scarlet', with the pain becoming unbearable. Days later, Mrs Doxat, of Petersfield, was unable to speak and felt so ill she 'wished she was dead'. She was finally diagnosed with necrotising mastitis - one of just six known cases worldwide. After surgery to remove her left breast (pictured inset while black) - and many more to reconstruct it - Mrs Doxat has recovered well. Mrs Doxat is pictured left in October 2017 and right with her children last September.

Emma Hawksworth (pictured left before the ordeal), 36, of Southport, Merseyside, opted to have the mesh after the traumatic birth of her daughter Sophie, now nine, resulted in her suffering internal prolapses. But just weeks after it was implanted, Mrs Hawksworth claims she began suffering from pain, headaches, fatigue and bowel issues. With painkillers having no effect, Mrs Hawksworth (right) 'was left with no choice' but to self-medicate with up to three bottles of wine a night, setting the self-employed cleaner back £300 a month. Five years since the operation, Mrs Hawksworth is desperate to have the synthetic mesh removed, with her husband Matt, 38, (pictured together in the inset) even threatening to leave unless she cuts back on her drinking.

Layla Evetts, six (left and right), of Burleson, Texas, was diagnosed with a Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) in February 2018. DIPGs are rare and inoperable brain tumors with a two-year survival rate of 10 percent. Layla's parents enrolled her in a clinical trial at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Doctors administered radiation and an oral chemotherapy drug over the course of a year. An MRI in June showed that, in a rare instance, Layla's tumor had shrunk from about 3.8 centimeters (inset) to about 1.6 centimeters. The kindergartner finished the clinical trial this month and, while her tumor has not shrunk anymore, it has also not grown.

In early December, Brysen Mills, five (left, with his father, and right), from Paris, Illinois, contracted the flu and then a stomach bug. Just a few weeks later, he complained of leg pain and was soon unable to sit up or walk. He was eventually taken to Riley's Hospital for Children in Indiana, where doctors diagnosed Brysen with Guillain-Barré syndrome. The exact cause of the syndrome is unknown, but it is often preceded by a respiratory infection or a virus like the stomach flu. It's a rare disorder in which the body's immune system attacks its peripheral nervous system. Brysen underwent two weeks of physical and occupational therapy before he was declared well enough to go home, where he will continue to undergo outpatient physical therapy.

EXCLUSIVE: Millions of adults will be able to have follicles taken from their scalp and put into storage, with procedures starting within the next year, the experts hope. Cells within the follicle will be multiplied in a lab, and when the patient begin to lose hair, the cells will be injected back into their their scalp to promote hair growth. The system is believed to be the first of its kind by the British company HairClone, who have dubbed the process as an 'insurance policy for later life'. However, it is not a 'one-off fix', you would likely need several procedures taken from the banked follicles - each costing several thousands of pounds.

Julie Dombo, 63, of Derby, Kansas, was shot several times in the arm and chest during a robbery in August 2015. Her hands and feet were deprived of oxygen, which damaged the tissue, and doctors said all four limbs had to be amputated (right). Her insurance company covered prosthetic legs, but not bionic hands. However, a generous donor gifted them to her in December 2016. Tragedy struck again when, less than a year later, in November 2017, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. But, after 15 months of radiation and chemotherapy, she got to ring a bell that signaled the end of cancer treatment (left).

Research by the campaign groups Action on Salt and Action on Sugar has found almost half of breakfast cereals in UK supermarkets are at least 22 per cent sugar, putting children's health at risk. The cereals with the most sugar per 100g are (clockwise from top left) Marshmallow Mateys (40.2g), Morrisons Choco Pillows (36.1g), Sainsbury's Frosted Flakes (34g), Morrisons Choco Crackles (32.1g), Tesco Choco Snaps (32.1g), Asda Choco Snaps (32g), Aldi's Harvest Morn Honey & Nut Clusters with Milk Chocolate (30g), and Sainsbury's Choco Hazelnut Squares (29.7g).

Drew Gunby, 21, from Texas, was 15 years old when the driver of a vehicle lost control of the car at 50mph (see car, inset). He was the only person who needed treatment to a cut on his chin (see right). But medical staff sent him for scans to check there was no internal damage. Shockingly, Mr Gunby was told a five and a half centimetre tumour had been found in his brain, which could have been there for two years. He had surgery three days later and said the incident has shaped his mindset (see left, now).

Celebrities have often come under fire for their lack of responsibility when it comes to giving advice or posting their regimes on social media platforms. Eight experts weigh on some of the biggest 'fads' from high-profile celebrities, and how to get the same 'magic' results with the use of proper nutrition. These include meal replacement shakes, promoted by Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez's cutting on sugar and carbs, weight loss teas, promoted by Cardi B, the Keto diet, used by Kourtney Kardashian, veganism, encouraged by Jay Z, celery juice, of which Miranda Kerr and Kylie Jenner is a fan, and Gwyneth Paltrow's habbit of skipping breakfast.

Health officials recommend anyone over the age of one receive a daily 10 microgram (400IU) vitamin D supplement. While infants aged under one should be given a 8.5 to 10 microgram daily vitamin D supplement to ensure they get enough. A team of academics based at the universities of Oxford and Southampton analysed dozens of vitamins aimed at children. Bassetts' soft chew raspberry-flavoured multivitamins (top left), aimed at seven to 11 year olds, contain just 200IU of vitamin D, while Colief's Vitamin D3 Drops (bottom right) have just 320IU. Holland and Barrett's Baby Vitamin D3 liquid product (bottom left) formulated for babies contains just 200IU of vitamin D and Centrum Kids Chewable Multivitamin (top right) has just 120IU per chewy.

Here, Dr Christopher Kelly and Dr Marc Eisenberg focus on those symptoms that leave people dying of embarrassment — while most of these symptoms will turn out to be benign, embarrassment about getting help when it’s needed can have serious consequences. Bloating (top left) is usually the result of air in the stomach or intestines. Diarrhoea (middle left) is also an awkward, and inconvenient, condition. So is excessive sweating (bottom left), which is a tad less serious than erectile dysfunction (bottom right). Erection problems can be the first sign of diseases such as high cholesterol. If you find a lump on your testicle (top right) you need to be checked for cancer. Don’t ignore the problem, testicular cancer is highly treatable if caught early.

Actress Anna Carteret still gets stopped in the street by those who remember her fondly from the Eighties police drama Juliet Bravo. It was a groundbreaking series, one of the first to feature a female police chief. Anna had the lead role, as the no-nonsense inspector Kate Longton. But while she presented a tough, take-charge exterior on-screen, she was often in mental and emotional turmoil off-screen, due to the bipolar disorder that has plagued her since she was a teenager. For Anna it means that her mood swings between dizzying highs and crashing lows.

Forget basic wholemeal and sliced white — sales of unusual breads which claim to offer extra health benefits are on the rise in the UK. From high-protein loaves to slices with added vitamins and sprouted seeds, supermarket shelves are groaning with breads that promise to boost our wellbeing. We asked Noor Al Refae, an NHS dietitian, to assess 12 ‘healthy’ loaves. We then rated them.

Caitlin Merrill, 28 (left, with her son, and right, with her husband, from Clayton, North Carolina, was told in October 2017 that her unborn son Thaxton had a heart defect that made it difficult for blood to flow through his body properly. Doctors originally said surgery after birth would fix the condition, but later deemed his heart too weak to survive an operation. Caitlin was induced at 38 weeks and Thaxton was born in February 2018. Despite his vital signs seeming strong, the newborn passed away two days later. Just eight months later, Caitlin and her husband Tony discovered she was pregnant again - this time with a daughter with a healthy heart.

Jacob Bredenhof, 14, from Abbotsford, Canada, was discovered to osteosarcoma in his leg, a type of cancer that affects growing bones (see top right, the size difference in his legs). Doctors previously believed Jacob was battling a sports injury and growing pains when his knee began to ache last year. Jacob, an avid sports player, was unsure whether to go ahead with an unusual surgery called rotationplasty in fear of judgement. It involved removing cancer-ridden bone and turning his lower leg 180 degrees and positioning his foot where his knee used to be. Now Jacob is looking forward to getting a prosthetic leg (see bottom right, after the surgery. See left, with his mother).

Toni Crews, 29, of Deal, Kent, began battling blurred vision and headaches in July 2016. She was later diagnosed with adenocarcinoma - a type of cancer that developed in the gland of her right eye - and told her only option was to have her eye removed (seen left). After enduring the surgery, Ms Crews was fitted with a false eye and slowly started to accept her new appearance. But things took a turn for the worse when the stay-at-home mother-of-two (pictured in the inset with her children Charlie seven, and Faith, six) discovered the cancer had returned last November. Forced to have the new mass removed, Ms Crews - who is single - woke to 34 staples across her head, as well as a 12-inch scar. Far from the ordeal being over, she begins radiotherapy in a few weeks’ time. She is pictured right wearing an eye patch, which she customises to match her outfits.