AWARNESS of a frightening neurological condition, which has sufferers in Pembrokeshire, is being heightened in the coming weeks.

Tomorrow (Thursday), BBC 2’s Hospital programme will focus on Functional Neurological Disorder, an illness that is often misunderstood by clinicians, even though it is the second most common reason for a neurological appointment.

FND Awareness Day UK is on Wednesday March 25, while April has been designated World FND Awareness Month, which will be marked in Pembrokeshire with buildings illuminated in blue or orange.

Last week, the Western Telegraph featured the story of Caroline Bridle of Saundersfoot who has been diagnosed with FND, which causes random seizures, paralysis, chronic fatigue and visual, co-ordination and speech symptoms.

Caroline, 47, who described the illness as ‘horrific’, is currently awaiting specialist help for her condition.

Her MP, Simon Hart, is to write to Welsh health secretary Vaughan Gething to urge funding in this country for FND patients, and Caroline is hoping to back this up with a personal meeting with the minister.

Another FND sufferer in Pembrokeshire is Sean Whiting, 43, of Pembroke, who was diagnosed 15 years ago.

Sean works for Pembrokeshire County Council as a highways safety inspector, and focussing on his job helps him cope with his illness, said his wife Nina.

“He gets all the symptoms of MS and ME, together with chronic fatigue and vascular migraines,” said Nina. “He copes the best he can, but every day is different.”

Nina is now enlisting the support of building owners in Pembrokeshire to illuminate structures to mark World ND Awareness Month, and the first to come on board is Pembroke Castle.

The castle’s keep will be illuminated with blue lights over the weekend of Friday April 17 to Monday April 20.

In the meantime, both Caroline and Nina are urging people to tune in to BBC2 at 9pm tomorrow (Thursday) for Episode 6 of Hospital, which is the story of the health service in unprecedented times.

This is the fifth series of the award-winning programme, and it comes from Liverpool, charting the day-to-day lives of six NHS Trusts across Merseyside.

This week, it features the Walton Centre in Liverpool is the country’s only dedicated neurosciences hospital trust, and has over 3,000 patients referred to it annually with FND.