A MODEL with a rare brain condition says she fears never seeing her two kids grow up — as she tries to raise £26,000 for pioneering surgery abroad.
Deana Hendry, 32, needs specialist treatment after being told there was nothing the NHS could do to permanently fix a malformation, which makes the back of her brain sag through the base of the skull.
Deana, diagnosed in 2021 after suffering symptoms for ten years, said: “Nobody knew what was causing it but I had chronic head and neck pains.
“When it got really bad and I went to the hospital, at first they thought I’d had a stroke.
“Then I got a phone call telling me I had an incurable brain condition.”
The model, of Banbury, Oxon, was diagnosed with Arnold-Chiari malformation, which affects roughly one in 2,000.
Most have no symptoms and never even realise they have it.
There are four main types, but type 1, called Chiari I, is the most common and occurs when the lowest part of the back of the brain extends into the spinal canal.
Many cases are triggered by part of the skull not being large enough to contain the brain.
The condition is normally treated in the UK with decompression surgery, where a chunk is taken from the back of the skull to allow the brain to expand away from the spinal cord.
If left untreated it can cause early-onset dementia or put too much pressure on the spinal cord, causing disability.
Deana, mum to Bartholemew, four, and Isabella, two, said: “The fear of leaving them to look after me, and the fear of leaving them without me, is what’s making me find a way to get through it.”
She is hoping to fund trial surgery in Barcelona, Spain, to permanently stop the malformation growing.
DAK PRESCOTT has sent a clear message to his struggling Dallas Cowboys teammates.
The quarterback is part of a struggling NFC East team, going 3-3 on the 2024-25 NFL season so far.
They had a shocker at their AT&T Stadium on Sunday, being thumped 47-9 by the Detroit Lions.
The Cowboys offense struggled again, failing to score a touchdown in front of a angry home crowd.
Fuming owner Jerry Jones was spotted looking miserable in his private box during the blowout defeat.
Prescott was handed a mega $240 million, four year contract, this summer, in a huge investment.
And the 31-year-old has issued a warning to his Cowboys teammates – with their Super Bowl hopes in tatters.
“We’ve got to get better. Simply. I’m very frustrated.” said Prescott.
“I have to play better, especially when you face a team like that. As talented as they are.
“They’re hot right now. We’re going into the bye week. We’re 3-3.
“It’s a long season to go. I’ve been in worst situations and got it going.
“I think about 2018. It’s about us sticking together.
“No better time to test the character of that.”
The Cowboys now have one of the toughest runs left in the NFL for the remainder of the season.
They will come off their bye week, with no game, on a 3-3 record.
‘America’s Team’ will then take on the San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons.
They also still have clashes with the Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans and Washington Commanders.
“The schedule is the schedule,” said Prescott.
“We have to clean it up and be honest to one another.
“Everybody, myself. Look in the mirror and figure out what we can do.
“How we can be better for this team.
“Collectively make sure that after this bye, when we get on the road, we’re a much better team.”a
KYLIAN Mbappe has slammed “fake news” after a newspaper reported police received a formal rape complaint against the star.
Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet reported that the French forward is being investigated by cops with them going to his hotel.
A complaint was reportedly made to police on Saturday after the alleged victim sought medical attention.
Aftonbladet reported on Thursday he dined at a restaurant and went to a nightclub in Stockholm.
A prosecutor investigating the accusation told AFP: “A probe is under way into a crime that was reported on October 10 in the centre of Stockholm.”
In a post on X, Mbappe addressed the report saying: “FAKE NEWS !!!! It’s becoming so predictable, just before the hearing as if by chance.”
The Barcelona player seemingly referred to a hearing he is set to face over unpaid wages he is disgustedly owed.
Mbappe claims he is owed 55million Euros (£45million) by his former club Paris Saint-Germain.
More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online
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A DECADE ago the menopause was rarely spoken about, certainly not in public.
Despite the fact it affects every woman, “the change” was considered taboo and frequently suffered in silence.
Now menopause is discussed everywhere; in podcasts, documentaries, and social media, and targeted with a growing market of products including supplements and herbal remedies to help ease its symptoms.
Increased awareness – fuelled by The Sun’s Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign – has been a life-saver. But with more information available than ever, it can be difficult to know where to find accurate advice.
If you want to know the symptoms of perimenopause – the lead-up to your final period – or whether you should be avoiding certain foods or using hormone therapy, Sun Health is here to help cut through the noise.
Dr Philippa Kaye – GP and author of the new book The Science Of Menopause – answers the most common questions on the subject and BBC presenter Gabby Logan shares her own experience of it.
Gabby Logan says HRT reignited her libido after becoming so disinterested in sex with her husband she worried it would “become a duty’.
The Welsh presenter, 51, first realised she was perimenopausal at the age of 47, but didn’t recognise it as such.
Rather, Gabby says she just felt like a “lesser version of herself”.
I couldn’t think that it had anything to do with the menopause. I was only in my mid-40s
And while the mum of two credits HRT with bringing her back, she has also taken up cold swimming among other lifestyle hacks to feel good again.
Gabby, who is married to ex-Scottish international rugby Kenny Logan, tells Sun Health: “I was feeling like a lesser version of my usual self. I didn’t know what was wrong with me.
“I’ve always been into health and fitness, and I started being extra careful about what I ate and I was training more — things that normally made me feel really good — but were now having no effect.
“I couldn’t think that it had anything to do with the menopause. I was only in my mid-40s.”
But it was only when Gabby invited broadcaster Mariella Frostrup on her podcast, The Mid Point, in 2020 that everything clicked at last.
Gabby, who has 19-year-old twins Lois and Reuben with Kenny, says: “She was talking about her menopause, describing the symptoms — anxiety, impatience, shouting at family and friends, losing your temper over silly things, feeling a bit out of control and not on top of stuff, feeling tired a lot of the time with low energy levels and having brain fog.
“I thought, ‘Hello? This sounds very familiar’.
“My libido was definitely affected by the menopause and perimenopause. I found I didn’t want to have sex with my husband as much, and it felt like something I was going to have to do even if I didn’t really want to.
“It was almost like, ‘Is this going to become a duty?’ So many women say this and I didn’t want to become one of them.
“I wanted to keep enjoying having sex. When I understood that I could get my former sex drive back, it was an enormous relief.” Gabby saw a doctor who prescribed HRT after tests revealed her hormones were “on the floor” and she likely only had a couple of periods left.
“I was surprised to hear this but not particularly emotional about it. I just wanted to feel like me again,” Gabby says.
My libido came back within about a week and our sex life was back on track — even to the extent of having daytime sex. Our kids will kill me if I say any more!
“I’d had a very healthy relationship with Kenny. I loved him and fancied him, and hadn’t been able to understand why I no longer wanted to have sex as much as I had before.
“My libido came back within about a week and our sex life was back on track — even to the extent of having daytime sex. Our kids will kill me if I say any more!”
The couple faced more challenges when Kenny was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2022, requiring surgery.
And while Gabby admits she has felt “bereft” transitioning to an “empty nest”, she focuses on hobbies to fill the void.
She says: “I regularly go cold-water swimming.
“It’s something I kind of fell into by accident.”
It’s one of several habits that relieve her menopause symptoms.
She says: “The menopause affects our physical and mental wellbeing, things like heart health and the threat of osteoporosis. Exercise can help guard against both, particularly weight training for osteoporosis.
“Simple walking and cycling are great things to do.
“What helps me is being as holistic as I can.
“I make sure I take all the right vitamins and minerals for a woman of my age.
“It’s also a good idea to read up on the menopause before it actually happens so that it doesn’t overwhelm you.
“There’s nothing like prepping before midlife actually hits.”
SWEATER weather is here but if you’re not quite ready to turn on the heat, there are ways to stay warm.
Walmart is selling a warming gadget which is sure to keep the teeth chattering cold at bay.
The Cibee Heated Scarf features a built-in heating pad and can be yours for just $4.81 (yes, you heard that correctly) and is perfect for wearing inside and outside of the house.
The nifty find can reach highs of 55 Celsius for those who really want to bring the heat.
Simply hold down the main button for three seconds to turn on the gadget.
After five minutes, the scarf will automatically reset to the medium temperature.
It is compact, lightweight and can be hand washed to remove any dirt or blemishes.
The consumer team at The U.S. Sun gathered up some practical Walmart products to keep on hand so that you’re warm and toasty.
You don’t have to break the bank to look good and keep comfortable.
Prices and availability may vary by store.
Walmart is selling a women’s quilted parachute jacket for $34.
It comes in three colors: black, navy, and pod green.
Sizes range from XS to XXL.
Customers said it’s the “perfect transitional jacket.”
Another added, “It’s cute and elevated and perfect for transitional weather.”
If you’re not happy with your purchase, you have 90 days to make any returns.
*If you click a link in this boxout, we may earn affiliate revenue
Here’s how to sign up to Walmart+:
Remember to cancel before the 30 days are up, or pay $12.95 per month (which you can cancel at any time) or $98 for the annual plan if you want to keep it.
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Elsewhere, a perfect way to snuggle up is with the perfect blanket.
The Better Homes and Gardens chunky knit indigo throw is available for $19.97.
The 50″x60″ throw comes in three colors: indigo, brown, and papyrus.
It’s also machine washable.
This blanket has received nearly 500 reviews, most with a five star rating.
Shoppers complimented the rich colors.
Another said they “fell in love with it immediately” and added they washed it with cold water and it turned out “beautifully.”