I thought my leg trouble was from too much walking...it was actually paralysing motor neurone disease that's left me with two years to live

A nurse has told of the heartache of leaving her four children without a mother - following a diagnosis of brutal motor neurone disease just weeks after turning 40.The condition, which famously blighted scientist Stephen Hawking, gradually destroys brain cells that control movement, resulting in muscle weakness, paralysis and, eventually, a slow and uncomfortable death.Laura Ann Fitt, from Nottinghamshire, first noticed twitches in her left knee and foot last summer, and assumed the problem was a result of excessive walking on a recent holiday to New York.Colleagues advised it was likely a deficiency in the mineral magnesium, which is known to cause muscle spasms.But after supplements failed to rectify the problem she sought help from her GP, who sent her for further testing.Six months of investigations still couldn't get to the root of the matter, with doctors mistakenly assuming her symptoms were the result of a range of conditions - from multiple sclerosis to functional neurological disorder.Functional neurological disorder, or FND, is a neurological condition that affects how the brain sends and receives signals.Symptoms include weakness, tremors, or seizure-like episodes, even though brain scans and tests look normal. Laura Ann Fitt said she'd suffered a couple of falls, which she put down to too much walking In less than a year the mother-of-four has become reliant on a wheelchair Some patients also struggle with memory problems, dizziness and confusion.'I thought maybe I was a bit daft in the head,' Ms Fitt joked, 'but I thought physiotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) would have me back to normal in no time.'By the beginning of this year her health had deteriorated to such a point that she relied on a walking stick to get around. It was at her neurology appointment in January that she became suspicious, and asked the neurologist if she could be suffering motor neurone disease.She said: 'They said, "no, we don't think so", but we need to rule it out. The electromyography (EMG) [a nerve test] couldn't confirm it, but it couldn't rule it out either.'As the months passed, her symptoms continued to worsen and by May she needed a wheelchair to attend appointments.A lumbar puncture - which involves a sample of spinal fluid being taken from the back to check for diseases of the brain and spine - ruled out autoimmune conditions shortly before her 40th birthday in June. As both a nurse, and now a patient, Laura hopes sharing her story will help others. Euphoria star Eric Dane is one high profile figure to have suffered the dieaseA repeat EMG on July 2 confirmed all of her fears, with Laura receiving her diagnosis of motor neurone disease (MND) 48 hours later. Most patients live for between two and three years after diagnosis.Her first thoughts went to her husband and children, especially her 15-year-old son Alex, who is blind and autistic.She told Sell Us Your Story: 'I thought, how are they going to cope without me? I don't want to leave them, but I don't have a choice.'The thought of not seeing them grow up, get married, have children, and being there to support them is just really difficult.'My son Alex has developmental issues so he doesn't really understand what's happening, or death as a concept. 'When you ask him what's wrong with mummy he just says I have "spaghetti legs".'Now, she wants to raise awareness and tell patients to advocate for themselves when they experience persistent symptoms. As both a nurse, and now a patient, Laura hopes sharing her story will help others.She said: 'The nurse in me wants to get the message out there. If sharing my story helps even one person get answers sooner, then it's worth it.'Around 5,000 people are estimated to be living with motor neurone disease in the UK, the majority of whom are men.Most people are diagnosed between 50 and 70 years of age, although it can occur earlier or later.One high profile figure to have suffered a type of MND called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is actor Eric Dane, who died from the disease in February, aged 53.The star of Euphoria and Grey's Anatomy shared his ALS diagnosis in April 2025 and spent his final months raising funds for fellow sufferers. His family said in a statement: 'With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS.'Meanwhile, a string of high-profile diagnoses among elite athletes, including rugby stars Rob Burrow and Lewis Moody and former England cricketer David Lawrence, has fuelled questions why healthy young men in peak physical fitness seem increasingly to be struck down.