Lillie Thorne’s family has spoken out after the 22-year-old healthcare assistant woke up with half her face paralyzed and rapidly lost her ability to walk or talk.
The Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England resident went to bed feeling completely normal on October 1, her aunt Ashleigh Thorne said. The next morning, the left side of her face was drooping.
“What is so heartbreaking is that it is completely random, it came out of nowhere,” Ashleigh Thorne said. “She was fit and healthy before.”
Doctors at the hospital initially diagnosed Lillie Thorne with Bell’s palsy on October 2 and prescribed steroids, telling her she could recover within six months. The temporary facial weakness condition typically resolves on its own, according to NHS guidance.
But her condition deteriorated rapidly. The following day, she began slurring her words and returned for further evaluation. Physicians ordered a CT scan to rule out a stroke, though no evidence of one was found.
They briefly suspected Ramsey Hunt disease and prescribed antiviral medication. Her symptoms only worsened. By Wednesday, October 7, she had lost both her speech and mobility, and had begun suffering up to 30 seizures daily.
Doctors ultimately diagnosed her with Functional Neurological Disorder, a neuropsychiatric condition that disrupts how the brain sends, receives and processes messages to the body. Healthcare providers remain uncertain about the exact cause, though they believe stress may have triggered her FND as a side effect.
“To see her as a shell of her normal self has been heartbreaking for everyone,” Ashleigh Thorne continued. “She is staying very positive and has a great sense of humour which is helping her get through it.”
Lillie Thorne spent more than two weeks hospitalized before her discharge on October 22. She has since regained some ability to speak, though her speech remains slurred and the seizures persist. She still cannot walk.
Her family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to fund private consultation and rehabilitation. The 22-year-old does not qualify for NHS treatment under current thresholds.
“Treatment for FND focuses on retraining the brain and nervous system using a team of specialists to help sufferers regain control of their movements,” her auntie added.
“I think I speak for the whole family and Lillie’s close friends when we say it’s been hard to see Lillie go from a normal 22-year-old to being unable to walk and suffering from multiple seizures a day.”
The case highlights the abrupt onset characteristic of FND, which per Cleveland Clinic typically appears suddenly when the brain and body fail to communicate properly. Symptoms can include paralysis, seizures, and movement disorders without underlying structural damage.
Lillie Thorne had shown no illness symptoms before going to bed that October night, her aunt stressed. The paralysis came without warning, transforming her from a working healthcare assistant into someone dependent on others for basic mobility.
Her family continues to advocate for her recovery through their fundraising efforts while she works to rebuild her communication and movement abilities.