Woman Creates Calendar to Fund Treatment for Rare Disease Preventing Paralysis

A woman, drawing inspiration from a film centered on a naked calendar, has produced her own rendition to generate funds aimed at preventing a rare disease from advancing to paralysis. Jessica Riggs, a 32-year-old resident of Saltash, Cornwall, received a diagnosis of Neuro-Cranio-Vertebral Syndrome-Filum Disease at a Barcelona clinic in June. This condition is characterized by excessive tension in the fibrous tissue that extends along the entire length of the spinal cord. To finance treatment in Spain, scheduled for January 2025, Ms. Riggs and 17 other women posed nude for the calendar. According to Ms. Riggs, symptoms of the disease began 11 years prior, leading to referrals to numerous NHS neurologists who were unable to identify the cause. Ms. Riggs stated: “I have a herniated disc into my brain stem, two crushed discs in my lower back and one dehydrated disc, the start of scoliosis [a twisted spine condition] and extensive oedema [fluid build-up] in my spinal cord.” As time progressed, her symptoms became more frequent, prompting her to resign from her profession as a marine biologist and polar expedition guide. The specialized treatment offered to her carries a cost of £25,000 and is not accessible through the NHS in the UK. Her surgery is scheduled to take place in Barcelona on 16 January 2025. She commented: “They don’t guarantee the symptoms I have now will dissipate, but they do guarantee that it will halt the disease progressing into paralysis and incontinence.” Ms. Riggs and other participants collaborated to produce the calendar, drawing inspiration from the comedy-drama film *Calendar Girls*, with the aim of raising the necessary funds. Local businesses in Saltash are selling the calendar. She mentioned: “November stars myself and my friend’s dog.” Nigel Barret of Tamar Fresh stated: “When we heard her story, it was a no-brainer that we agreed to sponsor one of the pages for her and sell the product in the shop.” Readers can follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook, and Instagram, and submit story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.