Trapped In A Living Nightmare: The Siblings Who Will Never Sleep Again.
#1
We all love getting into bed in the evening. A peaceful nights sleep is the key to a successful day and a happy life. For some, this can be nothing more than a day dream, as they are trapped in a living nightmare.
A brother and sister have inherited a rare disease that will stop them from ever getting a good nights sleep again, and eventually end their lives.
#2
The siblings, Lachlan and Hayley Webb are from Queensland, Australia. The disease they suffer from is a rare hereditary disease called Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI).
#3
The shocking illness stops sufferers from ever achieving a deep sleep, which will ultimately lead to mental and physical deterioration.
There is no known treatment or cure for the illness and it affects less than 10 million people worldwide.
Their Grandmother suffered from FFI and died from the illness; this was when they first became aware of it, and realised it was hereditary.
#4
It wasn't just their Grandmother who was killed by the terrible illness either. Their mother died from FFI aged 61, while their aunt died at the age of 42. Their uncle also died from FFI aged only 20.
Fatal Familial Insomnia damages nerve cells which leads to sponge like holes in the thalamus. The thalamus is the part of the brain that regulates sleep.
This then prevents the body from rejuvenating and the sufferer feels like they are awake for the last six months of their life.Can you imagine how terrible this must be?
Other sufferers have lost their eyesight, had signs of dementia, had severe hallucinations and lost their speech.
Researchers are trying to study the illness, in the hope that they can find a cure for the life threatening sleep disorder. A pioneering study is taking place at the University of California, led by Eric Minikel and Sonia Vallabah, who are trying to help those who suffer.
