Chloe-Marie Gallagher was a busy 33-year-old mother of three from Rotherham, working as a beautician and managing family life, when her world was turned upside down by a mysterious and debilitating illness.
A Mysterious and Baffling Decline
In early 2025, Chloe began experiencing severe, unexplained kidney pain. Despite multiple trips to A&E, doctors repeatedly sent her home after tests revealed nothing abnormal. Her health continued to deteriorate with a cascade of alarming symptoms.
"I just knew something wasn't right," Chloe recalls of that frightening period. She started suffering from fainting episodes, dizziness, and crushing fatigue that sleep couldn't fix. Light sensitivity and intense brain fog made it impossible to think clearly. She began involuntarily repeating words and phrases.
As a beautician, she found she could no longer focus on her work. Internal tremors, muscle weakness, and changes to her speech followed, leaving her deeply concerned. "Looking back, my body was trying to tell me something was seriously wrong," she reflects. "I just didn't have a diagnosis or a name for it."
The Terrifying Turning Point
The crisis point came when Chloe was rushed to hospital with stroke-like symptoms. "I suddenly became paralysed down my right side," she says. "My hand and foot turned blue and swollen. I was confused and couldn't speak. It was like my body just shut down."
Three days later, a neurologist assessed her and delivered a life-changing diagnosis: Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). It was a condition she had never heard of before. "In that moment, everything made sense and nothing made sense at the same time," she says. "I finally had answers, but I also realised my life had changed forever."
Life with an Unpredictable Condition
Chloe now navigates a wide array of symptoms that change daily, sometimes hourly. She experiences tremors, especially when overstimulated. Her speech is unpredictable, ranging from stuttering and word-finding difficulties to losing her voice completely for minutes or hours at a time.
"I'm currently relearning how to walk," she explains, using a frame and wheelchair depending on the day. Mornings are particularly difficult due to overnight muscle cramps and spasms. She also endures exhausting non-epileptic seizures that can wipe her out for an entire day.
The impact on her family life as a mother to three children – an 11-year-old autistic son, a seven-year-old son, and a four-year-old daughter – has been profound. "Being their mum is my greatest motivation," she reveals. On her hardest days, she wakes feeling "like I've been hit by a brick", with painfully tight muscles, an inability to stand, and a need for constant care.
Battling Misconceptions and Finding Purpose
Chloe is determined to combat the widespread misunderstanding surrounding FND. "The biggest misconception is that because there's no structural damage to the brain, it isn't real," she states emphatically. "That couldn't be further from the truth. FND is not 'all in our heads'. It's an involuntary neurological condition where the brain and body stop communicating properly."
She has had to give up her beloved career as a beautician, a loss that deeply affected her independence and confidence. Her life now revolves around careful pacing, using mobility aids, avoiding triggers like exhaustion, and listening to her body's signals.
Chloe has channelled her experience into powerful advocacy. She documents her journey on TikTok, where she has amassed 1.7 million likes, and serves as a director of FND Together We Rise CIC. The organisation works to provide visibility and support for those living with FND and their families.
"Too many people with FND face delayed diagnosis, dismissal and stigma," she explains. "Advocacy felt necessary. I wanted to help create a future where people with FND are met with compassion and belief, not disbelief."
Supported by her family, partner, and children, Chloe is resolute. "FND may have changed my life, but it hasn't taken my voice," she declares. "If sharing my story helps even one person feel seen, believed or understood, then it's worth it."
