Ask the doctors: Non-hodgkin lymphoma considered very treatable – The Spokesman Review

By Eve Glazier, M.D., and Elizabeth Ko, M.D. Andrews McMeel Syndication

Dear Doctors: My grandfather is 72 years old and has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. I would like to know more about this type of cancer and what kind of treatment may be involved. Is it unusual for someone his age to get this kind of a diagnosis?

Dear Reader: Lymphoma is a type of cancer that originates in the lymphatic system, most often in the lymph nodes. These are small pea- or bean-sized tissues that, along with a network of vessels, ducts and other structures, make up the lymphatic system. They work together to circulate a specialized fluid known as lymph. You know when you have a scrape and theres a layer of clear, watery fluid oozing from the wound? Thats lymph.

Just as the job of the circulatory system is to transport blood, the lymphatic system carries lymph throughout most of the tissues of the body. It carries away cellular waste and helps maintain optimal fluid balance in the tissues. The lymphatic system is also part of the immune system and plays an important role in fighting infection and disease.

When someone has lymphoma, it means that certain types of white blood cells found in lymph, known as lymphocytes, have begun to grow out of control. Their abnormal behavior leads to the formation of tumors. These not only interfere with the workings of the lymphatic system, but cancer cells from the tumors can spread to other parts of the body.

Lymphoma is divided into two types. One is non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which is your grandfathers diagnosis. This type of cancer is more common in men than in women. Although it can occur at any age, most cases are diagnosed in people 60 and older. A family history of the disease increases someones risk. Certain chemicals and drugs, including insecticides and some types of chemotherapy, are also suspected to play a role.

The other type of lymphoma, known as Hodgkin lymphoma, is not as common. It involves a different subset of lymphocytes and is treated differently from non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Both types of lymphoma have similar symptoms. These include fatigue; unexplained weight loss; enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, armpits or groin; night sweats; and itching that can become severe.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma can progress at different rates. A slow-growing cancer that has few symptoms is known as indolent. With this diagnosis, a treatment approach known as watchful waiting is sometimes recommended. Its just as it sounds keeping a close eye on disease progress and not starting treatment unless symptoms begin to change.

When lymphoma spreads quickly and has signs and symptoms that can be severe, it is characterized as aggressive. Aggressive lymphoma requires immediate treatment. The approach depends on the stage at which the cancer is diagnosed, the patients medical history and their general health. Treatment can include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation and targeted drug therapy. In some cases, stem cell or bone marrow transplants may be recommended. These are arduous treatments and can have serious side effects.

Still, although it depends on the type and stage of the cancer, with a five-year survival rate of 74%, non-Hodgkin lymphoma is considered very treatable.

Send your questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla.edu.

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Ask the doctors: Non-hodgkin lymphoma considered very treatable - The Spokesman Review

Liskeard teen given second chance at life thanks to complete stranger from Germany who donated stem cells – Cornwall Live

A boxer from Cornwall with a rare condition has been given a second chance at life thanks to a complete stranger who donated stem cells. Charlie Dugdale, aged 17, had just qualified to become a chef in Winchester and was waiting to go to Plymouth to start his submarine training in the Royal Navy when he was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia - a type of blood disorder where your bone marrow doesnt make enough blood cells - at the end of last year.

Charlie underwent multiple blood transfusions as well as a platelet transfusion but was informed by doctors that a stem cell transplant was needed to give him a second chance at life. So, his family teamed up with blood cancer charity, Anthony Nolan, to help find Charlie a donor and to encourage people from all backgrounds to sign up to become potential donors.

After a number of stem cell donation rallies were held across Liskeard, Charlie was able to find a match on the Anthony Nolan stem cell register - which came from a donor in Germany - and successfully received a stem cell transplant last month. Following an initial recovery period in hospital, Charlie is now back home and continues to recover well from his transplant.

Read more: Redruth mum who almost died after giving birth wants to raise awareness of pre-eclampsia

His father, Thomas Dugdale, has described the success of the transplant as being 'a miracle' and said his family couldn't be more grateful for the support they received from the community and those who donated stem cells to help save Charlie's life. "It's amazing and it's a miracle we found a perfect match for him," Thomas told CornwallLive.

"The transplant went really well and aside from an infection he got just after, he is doing well now. He's also gained 10 kilograms since and aside from the odd days, he's almost back to himself, which means the world to us."

Despite the fact that the stem cells came from a donor in Germany, Thomas said his family is still grateful for the donor days that were held and wanted to thank everyone who donated. "The stem cell donation actually came from Germany and it was a perfect 12/12 match for Charlie," he said.

"But I don't want to take away from the donor days we held because those donations could still help others in need. It was still lovely to know that all these people came forward to help Charlie and we can't thank everyone enough."

He said he also hopes to meet the stranger who saved Charlie's life in the future and thank them in person. "We have to wait about two years before we're able to have the opportunity to meet the person who the donated stem cells that helped give Charlie a second chance at life," he said. "I'm really looking forward to it, I'll never be able to thank them enough."

Now Thomas, who is an Officer and Engineer in the Royal Navy, is set to run the London Marathon this weekend to help raise money for Anthony Nolan. The 39-year-old previously ran the New York Marathon in 2018, but was keen to run the London Marathon this year to raise money and bring awareness to the charity that has had a significant impact on Charlies life.

"Whilst I had heard of Anthony Nolan before, I wasnt really aware of exactly what they did until what happened to our family," he said. "Its incredible work, and Im really glad Ive got the opportunity to share how important they are and the work they do. It's also really important to encourage more people to come forward to donate stem cells, so that it can help save other people's lives."

Thomas has had to overcome a few challenges during training, including multiple work trips abroad and battling a chest infection. However, throughout these difficulties, he said he has taken inspiration from Charlies attitude towards overcoming barriers, which has helped him push forward with his training.

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"There were days Charlie didnt want to do his chemotherapy or have his treatment, but he never moaned once and was incredibly strong throughout his treatment," he said. "On the days I didnt want to go for a run, I take strength from what Charlie has overcome and realise that if he can go through what he went through, then I can make it through a 26-mile run. I want to show my gratitude towards his strength."

So far, Thomas has smashed his fundraising target and has already raised 6,927 of the 5,000 goal. However, he hopes to continue raising more funds for the vital charity in the days leading up to and after the marathon and has set himself a new fundraising target of 7,000.

You can view his fundraising page, here.

Anthony Nolan are calling for more people between the ages of 16 and 30 to join the register, specifically young men as research shows that they have the most success donating. Currently just 18% of the UK Anthony Nolan stem cell register is made up of young men, but they account for 55% of people called upon to donate, and potentially save the lives of people like Charlie.

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Liskeard teen given second chance at life thanks to complete stranger from Germany who donated stem cells - Cornwall Live

CDC allows second covid booster: Who should get it and when – The Washington Post

Federal health officials this week updated their recommendations for coronavirus vaccinations to allow people who are at least 65 years old or immunocompromised to receive a second updated booster shot to strengthen protection for the most vulnerable Americans, even as the virus recedes.

The Food and Drug Administration authorized the additional shot for those high-risk groups, and Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, signed off Wednesday after the agencys vaccine advisers met to discuss its benefits. People who are eligible for additional boosters should be able to get them later this week.

Federal health officials also simplified coronavirus vaccinations for everyone going forward. Anyone getting a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna shot whether a booster or first-ever vaccination will now get an updated vaccine, known as a bivalent shot, not the original vaccines, called monovalents. Health officials say the bivalent shots more closely match the circulating virus. For unvaccinated adults, that means one shot instead of several doses of the original vaccine.

Many people are likely to have questions about who should get a second booster, the best timing and what the recommendations mean for younger age groups. The changes for young children are more complicated. The recommendations will vary by age, vaccine and which shots they received previously. The CDC plans to post a detailed chart with recommendations for children under 6.

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CDC allows second covid booster: Who should get it and when - The Washington Post

Immunotherapy Regenerative Medicine: Advanced Care With … – Wealth Of Geeks

Medical science has witnessed remarkable advancements in recent years, moving beyond traditional medicine toward the field of regenerative and proteomics medicine. While conventional methods focus on treating symptoms and managing diseases, regenerative medicine promotes the body's natural healing mechanisms to repair damaged tissues and organs.

This approach has become increasingly popular due to its potential to offer long-term benefits and reduce the need for invasive procedures or medications.

Immunotherapy Regenerative Medicine is a clinic that champions the power of natural healing to treat chronic degenerative diseases, autoimmune disorders, or neurological problems. Harnessing the power of high-level stem cell therapy, they enable the body's own regeneration and healing process.

As a leader in stem cell research based in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Immunotherapy Regenerative Medicine holds over 20 years of experience under the leadership of regenerative medicine expert Dr. Ernesto Romero.

Dr. Romero's visionary leadership at the forefront of regenerative medicine began over 17 years ago with the belief that Stromal Cell Precursors, a type of stem cell, were the next step in advancing people's health. Since then, he has advocated for this innovative approach as a potential solution for many suffering patients to improve their quality of life, far surpassing the results of traditional medicinal methods.

Regenerative medicine uses various techniques such as Mesenchymal stem cell therapy, gene therapy, and immunotherapy, to stimulate tissue regeneration and promote healing. At its core, regenerative medicine relies on preparing a correct environment and then using stem cells, which can segment into different types of cells in the body depending on the signals they receive.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are one of the most researched cells for regenerative therapies. MSCs are adult stem cells with self-renewal, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, signaling, and differentiation properties. Depending on the environment created for them, they can be used to regenerate or replace damaged tissues, allowing the body to heal itself in a way that was previously impossible.

Dr. Romero explains, By using the body's own healing mechanisms, regenerative medicine offers a safe, effective, and minimally invasive way to treat these conditions and improve patient outcomes.

Immunotherapy Regenerative Medicine is at the forefront of the regenerative field, offering patients comprehensive and innovative medical care through the most advanced regenerative and proteomics medicine techniques.

One of the techniques employed by Immunotherapy Regenerative Medicine is stem cell therapy. Their treatment methods use high-quality MSCs spanning a vitality of 95% to 98% to repair and regenerate damaged tissues, with the potential to treat a wide range of conditions, including chronic degenerative diseases, autoimmune diseases, aging conditions, and neurological and musculoskeletal disorders, such as stroke and heart problem.

Due to its high compatibility, mesenchymal stem cells develop into many cell types to help regenerate tissue and regulate the immune system.

At Immunotherapy Regenerative Medicine, patients can be assured that their regenerative medicine treatments are carefully planned and monitored for the best possible outcomes. Led by Dr. Romero and a team of professionals composed of doctors, biologists, biophysicists, biochemists, and nutritionists, the clinic recognizes that regenerative medicine is a significant investment for every that might be looking to improve their quality of life and used traditional medicine but failed to help them completely recuperate. So to ensure undeniable success results, the team takes a personalized approach to every treatment.

Rather than simply administering stem cells and hoping for the best, they take the time to get to know each patient's unique needs and body. By doing so, they can adequately prepare patients for therapy and recommend ways to improve their overall health and healing. With every treatment closely monitored and planned, patients can have the utmost confidence in its quality and compatibility. Patients can trust that their investment in regenerative medicine will result in long-lasting benefits for their health and well-being.

Dr. Romero believes that by combining these advanced techniques and personalized approaches, Immunotherapy Regenerative Medicine is pushing the boundaries of medical care, offering patients a new paradigm in healing and recovery.

Immunotherapy Regenerative Medicine takes pride as a pioneer in medical innovation and research. They are the first to adopt immunotherapy treatments and stem cell therapy in Mexico. By catering to medical tourism, they continually pursue excellence through their commitment to research and development. The team is constantly unlocking new ways and methods of treatment. They offer hope to patients and their families, allowing them to look forward to improved health and better quality of life now and in the years to come.

This article was produced and syndicated byWealth of Geeks.

Sam Allcock is thefounder of PR Fire. His team help small to medium-sized businesses achieve coverage in publications like Yahoo Finance, Daily Mail, Metro, USA Today, MSN News, The Huffington Post, and The Telegraph through smart press release distribution.

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Scots Football hosting "Be the Match" registry event – WQKT

The College of Wooster is among the latest college football teams to join forces with Be The Match and get in the game with a blood stem cell registry drive. Woosters drive will take place on Friday, April 28 from 10 a.m. 3 p.m. inside the Lowry Student Center at the student tabling tables.

Hundreds of college athletic teams have registered thousands of their team members, peers, and local community members for the Be The Match Registry. Wooster football players will run tables to assist students, faculty, staff, and local community members with their Be The Match process, which includes a registration, filling out a health history form, and providing a swab inside your cheek. The registry drive is open to people ages 18 to 40 years old, and the event is open to the local community.

More young people of diverse racial and ethnic heritage are needed to help patients searching for a match. People between the ages of 18 and 35 are most urgently needed since they are requested by transplant doctors most often, and research shows that these donors provide the greatest chance for transplant success.

Every year, 12,000 patients are diagnosed with life-threatening blood cancers or other diseases like sickle cell, for which a blood stem cell transplant from an unrelated donor may be their best or only hope for a cure. Be The Match connects patients with a matching donor for a life-saving blood stem cell transplant. A blood stem cell transplant can cure or treat more than 75 difference diseases, including leukemia and lymphoma, aplastic anemia, and sickle cell and immune-deficiency disorders. Be The Match has facilitated more than 120,000 transplants since 1987 and continues to impact more lives every year. Be The Match is a global leader in bone marrow transplantation and conducts research to improve transplant outcomes, provides support and resources for patients, and partners with a global network.

Football teams, especially small college teams within Ohio, can help effectively communicate signing up for Be The Match, added junior defensive back Andrew Armile, who is helping spearhead Woosters registry event. Through community involvement and with the large number of football programs in the country, we can help by spreading the important message of registering for blood and marrow donations and hopefully save lives.

Those unable to make Woosters football teams registry drive can join the Be The Match donor registry online, order a free cheek swab kit from Be The Match, and return it to the organization.

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Scientists achieve promising results towards restoring vision in … – Ophthalmology Times

This finding marks a first step towards potentially restoring vision in eye diseases characterized by photoreceptor loss. (Image credit: AdobeStock/Victoria Key)

A preclinical study using stem cells to produce progenitor photoreceptor cellslight-detecting cells found in the eyeand then transplanting these into experimental models of damaged retinas has resulted in significant vision recovery.

According to a Duke-NUS Medical School news release, this finding, by scientists at Duke-NUS Medical School, the Singapore Eye Research Institute and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, marks a first step towards potentially restoring vision in eye diseases characterized by photoreceptor loss.

Our laboratory has developed a novel method that enables the production of photoreceptor progenitor cells resembling those in human embryos, Tay Hwee Goon, PhD, first author of the study from Duke-NUS Centre for Vision Research, said in the news release. Transplantation of these cells into experimental models has yielded partial restoration of the retinal function.

The degeneration of photoreceptors in the eye is a significant cause of declining vision that can eventually lead to blindness and for which there is currently no effective treatment. Photoreceptor degeneration occurs in a variety of inherited retinal diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosaa rare eye disease that breaks down cells in the retina over time and eventually causes vision lossand age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision impairment worldwide.1

Asst Prof Tay and her team developed a procedure to grow human embryonic stem cells in the presence of purified laminin proteins that are involved in normal development of human retinas. In the presence of the laminins, stem cells could be directed to differentiate into photoreceptor progenitor cells responsible for converting light into signals that are sent to the brain.

When these cells were transplanted into damaged retinas, the preclinical models showed significant recovery of vision. A diagnostic test called electroretinogram also identified significant recovery in the retinas via electrical activity in the retina in response to a light stimulus. The transplanted cells established connections with surrounding retinal cells and nerves in the inner retina. They also survived and functioned for many weeks after transplantation.

Moving forward, the team said in the news release it hopes to refine their method to make it simpler and achieve more consistent results than earlier attempts to explore stem cell therapy for photoreceptor cell replacement.

It is exciting to find these results, which suggest a promising route towards using stem cells to treat those forms of visual deterioration and blindness caused by the loss of photoreceptors, Helder Andre, PhDm head of Molecular and Cellular Research from Karolinska Institutes Department of Clinical Neuroscience and a senior author of the study, said in the news release.

Enrico Petretto, PhD, director of the Centre for Computational Biology at Duke-NUS and the study's bioinformatics analysis lead, discussed the research.

Our method may also be useful for understanding the molecular and cellular pathways that drive the progression of macular degeneration, perhaps leading to the development of other therapeutic approaches, he said in the news release.

According to the release, the next challenge for the researchers is to explore the efficacy of their method in models of photoreceptor degeneration that more closely match the human condition.

If we get promising results in our future studies, we hope to move to clinical trials in patients, Karl Tryggvason, MD, PhD, from Duke-NUS Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders Program, and the corresponding author of the study, said in the release. That would be an important step towards for being able to reverse damage of the retina and restore vision.

The protocol underlying the procedure developed by Tay has since been licensed to Swedish biotech start-up Alder Therapeutics.

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Unsure About Why Your Hair Is Going Grey? Scientists Might Have Found The Answer | HealthBeat – Times Now

Hair usually starts to slowly lose colour from 35 years of age while this can occur earlier as well. Colour produced at the hair follicle, pores around the root of hair, does not change the colour once hair starts to grow. With age, these follicles fail to produce enough pigment, as a result, once hair dies and regrows, it does not change the colour.

Updated Apr 20, 2023 | 03:45 PM IST

Published in the Nature journal, the study looked at how stem cells can affect follicles ability to produce colour.

Photo : iStock

Why does hair start to go grey?

Hair usually starts to slowly lose colour from 35 years of age while this can occur earlier as well. Colour produced at the hair follicle, pores around the root of hair, does not change the colour once hair starts to grow. With age, these follicles fail to produce enough pigment, as a result, once hair dies and regrows, it does not change the colour.

During normal growth of hair, cells continuously move back and forth during transition between compartments of developing hair follicles. But as hair ages and grows back, the number of melanocyte stem cells gets stuck in the stem cell compartment resulting in a bulge and preventing colouring. The loss of such function in the stem cells could take blame for loss of hair colour and greying. Findings suggest that such stem cell motility and reversible differentiation could be key to keeping hair coloured and healthy.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

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Unsure About Why Your Hair Is Going Grey? Scientists Might Have Found The Answer | HealthBeat - Times Now

Unlocking the secrets to aging gracefully: How to keep your spine … – Kevin MD

An excerpt from The Spine Encyclopedia: Everything Youve Wanted to Know about Back and Neck Pain but Were Too Afraid to Ask.

As we age, our cells become less functional, and bodily tissues lose the ability to replenish and regenerate. The spine is not excluded from this process and undergoes predictable degeneration as we age. For some, spinal degeneration turns into serious pain and disability that can end in the need for surgery. For others, this is not the case, and they continue to have active lifestyles despite degeneration in the back and neck. What separates these groups? What can we do to make sure our backs work for us as opposed to having to work for our backs (going to the doctors, getting treatments and surgery)? While the answers to these questions remain somewhat unknown, there are many non-surgical interventions to not only extend the life span of our spines, but also of our lives. These include practices such as following a healthy, low-calorie diet, not smoking, treating osteoporosis, and practicing a balanced exercise regimen.

Case

Mr. Silver is a healthy 70-year-old male. He retired from a career as a teacher at the age of 65 and has been very busy in retirement. He pays close attention to his health and makes sure he does at least 40-50 minutes of vigorous exercise 4-5 times a week. This can consist of a brisk hike, bicycle riding, or even swimming, and he enjoys switching between these activities. He used to be an avid runner but finds hiking, biking, and swimming to be more tolerable to his bones and joints these days. He participates in yoga, and to outside viewers, his posture, gait, and flexibility reflect that of a young man, although he will tell you he feels stiff at times. He has never smoked and only occasionally drinks wine. In addition to these basic tenets of lifestyle, he is very active with his grandkids and enjoys a full circle of friends with whom he regularly socializes. Although he can drive himself to the doctors, he is never short of volunteers who want to come with him for support. He has no pain, has not had a fracture from weakened bones, and takes no medicines.

Getting older is inevitable. The turn of the century Italian philosopher Giacomo Leopardi had this to say about aging: Old age is the supreme evil because it deprives us of all pleasures, leaving us only the appetite for them, and it brings with it all sufferings. Nevertheless, we fear death, and we desire old age. We all want to continue living, but the price for continued life is getting older, including an aging skeleton. Unfortunately, aches and pains are going to be in everyones future, but as a physician, I have noticed that there seems to be a trick to aging gracefully. Looking at colleagues and patients, I have seen those who cruise into old age and those who bruise into old age. In other words, some have no issues in old age, and others have endless problems. While genetics likely play a crucial role in aging, we cannot control our genes (yet). However, we do have the power to change environmental factors and lifestyle choices that accelerate aging. In medicine, we talk about a patients genotype and phenotype. The genotype simply refers to the type of genes a person has (for example, a person has a gene for brown hair), while the phenotype refers to the actual expression of those genes (that is, a person has brown hair). Our environment plays a role in determining the phenotype as expressed with this equation:

Phenotype = Genotype + (diet and lifestyle).

The phenotype we all want is one that allows us to live a long, healthy life. We must assume we are stuck with our genotype, but this equation begs the question: what are the things we can do to age gracefully?

What is aging and why does it happen?

Aging is simply the process of becoming older. Superficially, as we age, we appear to have more wrinkles and blemishes in the skin, and perhaps grayer hair. We dont have the same strength, endurance, and even body shape as we did when we were younger. But on a molecular and cellular level in the body, what is driving these changes?

Cells are the building blocks that form all our tissues. As we age, our cells age too. Stem cells, which are cells that are capable of becoming a range of different tissues (bone, muscle, blood, etc.), lose the capacity to undergo differentiationthe ability to change from one cell type to another. This is problematic because stem cells are responsible for replenishing damaged tissue, for example, damaged cartilage in joints. So, the body cannot regenerate as effectively.

Unlike the cells in young bodies, cells in the older persons body also lose some of their metabolic capacity and start to accumulate waste proteins, resulting in malfunction. This is thought to occur because of several different reasons:

Thus, the body loses its ability to replace old or damaged cells, and those older cells start to malfunction. This disrupts the complex biological processes in the body.

Cellular aging processes affect the musculoskeletal system, and we know that three things happen:

Yoshihiro Katsuura is an orthopedic surgeon and author of The Spine Encyclopedia: Everything Youve Wanted to Know about Back and Neck Pain but Were Too Afraid to Ask.

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Unlocking the secrets to aging gracefully: How to keep your spine ... - Kevin MD

Selma Blair spent years terrified of being found out she was suffering symptoms of undiagnosed MS – Yakima Herald-Republic

Selma Blair spent years terrified of being found out she was suffering symptoms of her undiagnosed multiple sclerosis on film sets.

The Legally Blonde actress, 50, lived for decades with the physical and mental results of the incurable disease before she was finally diagnosed with it in August 2018, and said she spent time on jobs trying to hide the brutal impacts of the condition, which included bouts of vomiting and well as hair looks and rashes.

Mum-of-one Selma, who has son Arthur, 11, with her fashion designer ex Jason Bleick, 49, whose MS is now in remission partly due to the hematopoietic stem cell transplantation she received in 2019 said in a cover interview for Mays British Vogue magazine: I was worried since the beginning of time that a glaring fault would remove me from the workforce.

And usually it was my incoordination or getting stuck, too weak or sick, in my trailer or any time, really.

The vomiting or body issues were terrifying, (and the) baldness or rashes.

She added about her terror of being found out: I remember being very, very poorly on Hellboy and was diagnosed with cat scratch fever and possible leukaemia in Prague.

I couldnt tell anybody. I couldnt admit alcoholism or (access) treatment in my insurance for fear Id be deemed an insurance risk. I fell apart once I got back to LA.

After Selma filmed the US television remake of Kath and Kim in 2009, she finally pulled away from showbiz as her body was so exhausted.

She added: My autoimmune system was misfiring losing most of my hair and all of my energy.

I kinda bowed out (after the show.)

It was a French exit and everybody else stayed at the party my self-hatred was extreme.

I could not manage well and I couldnt even try to find work it was a running joke: How far was the audition? How many naps would I fit in on the side of the road before and after?

When I quit acting) I spent my days in bed, crying, sometimes binge drinking, sometimes reading and sleeping, seeing doctors and healers I gave up almost until the diagnosis. I was always terrified I would be deemed incapable. Or mentally unsound. My mother taught me that was death for a woman career-wise.

By the time Selma was seven she had lost use of her right eye, left leg and her bladder due to undiagnosed juvenile MS, and would wake up in the night laughing hysterically due to the incurable condition which then led her to uncontrollably weep as an adult.

The floods of emotion were the result of her damaging her frontal lobe and she didnt get a diagnosis for 40 years.

She said: I looked like a normal girl to them, but I was disabled this whole time.

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Selma Blair spent years terrified of being found out she was suffering symptoms of undiagnosed MS - Yakima Herald-Republic