Latest news with #Mart
Scottish Sun
09-07-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Doctors dismissed my numb feet as a virus – little did I know it was a sign of incurable cancer
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A DAD'S feet went so numb he felt like he was 'walking in flippers'. Mart Roe, 62, was dismissed as having a virus by doctors but his symptoms turned out to be a sign of incurable cancer. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 10 Mart Roe, 62, with his wife Kayleigh Credit: PA Real Life 10 He had agonising back pain for weeks when he started losing the feeling in his feet Credit: PA Real Life 10 Initially told he had a virus, Mart was diagnosed with myeloma Credit: PA Real Life Mart, a security team duty manager, had been experiencing agonising back pain for weeks when he started losing feeling in the lower half of his body in 2020. After his symptoms were initially dismissed as a virus by a GP, he sought further medical advice. Days later, in October that year, the dad was told he had the incurable blood cancer myeloma - a cancer he had 'never heard of'. Scans revealed his T3 vertebra was 'missing', he had four fractures in his back and he was on the verge of paralysis. Mart said: 'I had a few tears… it was a lot to take in. 'The consultant explained that it's myeloma and there's no cure for it, and you think of the worst thing, which is dying. 'I was on my own at that time [because of Covid-19 restrictions] and I kept thinking of the family, Kayleigh, my daughter. 'I just thought, 'God, how am I going to tell them?'.' Mart, who lives with wife Kayleigh, 39, woke up one morning in August 2020 with a very sore upper back, which initially felt like a 'niggly' pain. Soon, it turned into a 'horrendous' sharp, stabbing pain, and he booked an appointment with a chiropractor, believing it was a slipped disc or trapped nerve in his back. Girl, 16, shrugged off symptom that turned out to be sign of 'silent killer' cancer 'I went to the chiropractor to see if they could help, but I was in so much pain I couldn't even get on the table,' Mart explained. The chiropractor refused to treat Mart because he was so much agony, so the dad consulted his GP. But he was told the twinge between his shoulder blades was caused by a virus and would sort itself out eventually. When he started experiencing 'numbness from [his] chest downwards', however, he knew it was something more serious. 10 Mart in hospital wearing a back brace to stabilise his spine Credit: PA Real Life 10 Mart had to wear a back brace and use a walker as a result of the damage to his bones Credit: PA Real Life 10 Mart during his stem cell transplant Credit: PA Real Life 'I remember pinching myself, and it didn't hurt as much as you thought it might,' he said. 'But my feet were perhaps the most uncomfortable because it felt like they were being squashed into something, like I was walking in flippers. 'I remember my feet felt like blocks of ice when you've been out in the snow, but they were really warm when you touched them.' Eventually Mart was booked in for an emergency MRI scan at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital and, the next day, he received a call telling him to go back to the hospital with an overnight bag. Days later, he was diagnosed with myeloma, an incurable blood cancer that occurs in the bone marrow. Symptoms include persistent or unexplained pain, particularly in the back or ribs, fatigue, unexplained weight loss and numbness in the feet, hands or legs. Despite being one of the most common types of blood cancer, myeloma is difficult to detect as symptoms are often linked to general ageing or minor conditions, Myeloma UK says. Mart, who lives in Basingstoke, underwent radiotherapy to reduce the swelling of the 'bulging' discs in his spine, before starting six months of chemotherapy, which caused side effects of fatigue and nausea. The 10 red flag symptoms of myeloma Myeloma is an incurable blood cancer that occurs in the bone marrow. Despite being the third most common type of blood cancer, myeloma is difficult to detect as symptoms are often linked to general ageing or minor conditions. While it is incurable, myeloma is treatable in the majority of cases. Treatment can lead to periods of remission but the cancer will inevitably come back. Symptoms of myeloma: Persistent or unexplained pain for more than four to six weeks, particularly in the back or ribs Tiredness that doesn't improve with rest (fatigue) Frequent or hard-to-clear infections Easily broken bones or unexpected fractures Experiencing either frequent urination or minimal to no urination Swollen legs or abdomen Nosebleeds or unexplained bleeding or bruising Unexplained weight loss Numbness in the feet, hands, or legs Unexplained shortness of breath Source: Myeloma UK During this time, he had to wear a back brace for 14 weeks to 'stabilise' his spine – which he described as his 'tortoise shell' – and was forced to use a cane or walking frame. 'Where his vertebra had gone, the T3 one, the discs had bulged either side and it had shut off his spinal cord, which is why he was numb from the chest down,' Kayleigh explained. 'He had four fractures in his spine as well, but we didn't actually know this until he was discharged.' After his back brace was taken off, Mart had to learn how to walk due to his muscles wasting. He had a stem cell transplant in November 2021, which caused him to lose 10kg in nine days. Before the transplant, during the process of harvesting stem cells, Mart said he developed blood clots caused by a condition called heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). Afterwards, he was left with the 'immune system of a newborn', meaning he was susceptible to infections. At his worst, he said he was in hospital with four simultaneous infections – Covid, RSV and influenza type A and B. 'I just had to take everything one step at a time,' Mart said. 'I was just trying to be confident and positive.' 10 Mart and Kayleigh described their wedding day as 'perfect' Credit: PA Real Life 10 They wed in 2023 after Mart proposed in 2021 Credit: PA Real Life 'Living best life' While he is still at risk of infection and currently undergoing maintenance chemotherapy, Mart is now in remission and determined to live life to the fullest. Mart said: 'I just live for today. 'If somebody says, 'You've probably got five years', why can't I be the one that doesn't have five years? 'I've always said, 'I'm going to live until I'm 100'.' The dad said he is 'living [his] best life', proposing to his partner Kayleigh in March 2021 and getting married in May 2023. Mart is now planning a trip to Dubai for Kayleigh's 40th next year. He's fronting Myeloma UK's 'Know the Warning Signs' campaign to help the public spot the tell-tale symptoms of myeloma. Mart wants to encourage others to get any unusual symptoms checked as soon as possible. Reflecting on his diagnosis, Mart said: 'All of a sudden you go in with a bad back, and then the next thing in your head is you dying. 'But for me, I'm grateful that I wake up every morning and I don't take things for granted. 'I always tell people that if you're going to do something, do it, make the most of what's now, because you just never know [what might happen]. 'I've got myeloma, where there's no cure, but it's treatable, and five years down the line, I'm here living my best life.' 10 Mart is trying to live life to the fullest Credit: PA Real Life
Daily Mirror
09-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
'GP said I had a virus but my vertebra has disappeared and I'm dying'
Mart Roe knew something was wrong when it felt like he was 'walking in flippers' A father whose feet were so numb he felt like he was 'walking in flippers' before receiving an incurable blood cancer diagnosis has said he plans to defy expectations and live to 100-years-old. Mart Roe, 62, a duty manager for a security team at a shopping centre, had been experiencing agonising back pain for weeks when he started losing the feeling in his feet and lower half of his body in 2020. After his symptoms were initially dismissed as a virus by a GP, he says, he sought further medical advice and was soon told he had the incurable blood cancer myeloma in October that year. He said scans revealed his T3 vertebra was 'missing', he had four fractures in his back and he was on the verge of paralysis, and his treatment plan included radiotherapy, chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant in 2021. Mart, who lives in Basingstoke, Hampshire, experienced several complications post-transplant, including countless infections which left him in hospital for weeks, but he has since reached remission. While he is still undergoing maintenance chemotherapy, Mart said he is 'living (his) best life' and is now fronting Myeloma UK's 'Know the Warning Signs' campaign to help the public spot the tell-tale symptoms of myeloma. Speaking about his perspective on life now, Mart told PA Real Life: 'I just live for today. If somebody says, 'You've probably got five years', why can't I be the one that doesn't have five years? I've always said, 'I'm going to live until I'm 100'.' In August 2020, Mart, who lives with his 39-year-old wife Kayleigh, woke up one morning with a very sore upper back, which initially felt like a 'niggly' pain. Soon enough, it turned into a 'horrendous' sharp, stabbing pain, and he booked an appointment with a chiropractor, believing it was a slipped disc or trapped nerve in his back. 'I went to the chiropractor to see if they could help, but I was in so much pain I couldn't even get on the table,' Mart explained. With the chiropractor declining treatment because of the pain, Mart said he consulted his GP but was told the twinge between his shoulder blades was caused by a virus and would sort itself out eventually. When he started experiencing 'numbness from (his) chest downwards', however, he knew it was something more serious. 'I remember pinching myself, and it didn't hurt as much as you thought it might,' he said. 'But my feet were perhaps the most uncomfortable because it felt like they were being squashed into something, like I was walking in flippers. 'I remember my feet felt like blocks of ice when you've been out in the snow, but they were really warm when you touched them.' Eventually Mart was booked in for an emergency MRI scan at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital and, the next day, he received a call telling him to go back to the hospital with an overnight bag. Days later, in October 2020, after having blood tests and a bone marrow biopsy, Mart was diagnosed with myeloma – a cancer he had 'never heard of'. 'I had a few tears… it was a lot to take in,' he said. 'The consultant explained that it's myeloma and there's no cure for it, and you think of the worst thing, which is dying. I was on my own at that time (because of Covid-19 restrictions) and I kept thinking of the family, Kayleigh, my daughter. I just thought, 'God, how am I going to tell them?'.' Myeloma is an incurable blood cancer which occurs in the bone marrow, and symptoms include persistent or unexplained pain, particularly in the back or ribs, fatigue, unexplained weight loss and numbness in the feet, hands or legs. Despite being one of the most common types of blood cancer, myeloma is difficult to detect as symptoms are often linked to general ageing or minor conditions, Myeloma UK says. For Mart, he underwent radiotherapy to reduce the swelling of the 'bulging' discs in his spine, before starting six months of chemotherapy, which caused side effects of fatigue and nausea. During this time, he had to wear a back brace for 14 weeks to 'stabilise' his spine – which he described as his 'tortoise shell' – and was forced to use a cane or walking frame. 'Where his vertebra had gone, the T3 one, the discs had bulged either side and it had shut off his spinal cord, which is why he was numb from the chest down,' Kayleigh explained. 'He had four fractures in his spine as well, but we didn't actually know this until he was discharged.' After his back brace was taken off, Mart had to learn how to walk again after muscle wastage, and then he had a stem cell transplant in November 2021, which caused him to lose 10kg in nine days. Before the transplant, during the process of harvesting stem cells, Mart said he developed blood clots caused by a condition called heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), and afterwards, he was left with the 'immune system of a newborn', meaning he was susceptible to infections. At his worst, he said he was in hospital with four simultaneous infections – Covid, RSV and influenza type A and B. 'I just had to take everything one step at a time,' Mart said. 'I was just trying to be confident and positive.' Mart said he started a diary after his transplant to monitor his symptoms, recording his daily temperature and blood pressure readings and diet. While he is still at risk of infection and currently undergoing maintenance chemotherapy, Mart is now in remission and determined to live life to the fullest. He proposed to his partner Kayleigh in March 2021 and they got married in May 2023, describing it as 'the best day', and Mart is planning a trip to Dubai for Kayleigh's 40th next year. He wants to raise more awareness of myeloma with the charity Myeloma UK and encourage others to get any unusual symptoms checked as soon as possible. Reflecting on his diagnosis, Mart said: 'All of a sudden you go in with a bad back, and then the next thing in your head is you dying. 'But for me, I'm grateful that I wake up every morning and I don't take things for granted. I always tell people that if you're going to do something, do it, make the most of what's now, because you just never know (what might happen). 'I've got myeloma, where there's no cure, but it's treatable, and five years down the line, I'm here living my best life.'
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Lafufus toy with fans; fake it till they almost make it
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills Labubus or Lafufus, what's in a name? as the Bard famously said. Well, for fans of the now iconic toy collectible – Labubu- there is a lot riding on the name as they battle a flood of counterfeits swamping the market. Pop Mart , the Beijing-headquartered retailer of the insanely viral Labubu dolls that were first created by the Hong Kong born, Belgium-based designer Kasing Lung for a story series The Monsters, has put in place a seemingly foolproof system to authenticate its products. But, to no avail according to Labubu fans who are discovering that the most alert among them are falling prey to duplicates that have now gained notoriety and recognition as – Lafufus. "I had picked up a Labubu for myself and had done an unboxing video which got a lot of views," one Chennai-based content creator who did not wish to be named told ET. The pint-sized dolls with pointy ears, large eyes, and a smile revealing nine teeth have grown into a global phenomenon since being launched in 'blind boxes' in 2019 after Pop Mart had licensed Lung's characters. These boxes sell for around $20–$30 but can go all the way up to even $300 and have turned into an addictive global phenomenon fuelled by celebrities flaunting their toys on tote bags. Last month, a life-sized Labubu doll sold for a record-breaking $150,000 (approximately Rs 1.28 crore) at a Beijing auction." I thought it would be fun to do a video with my whole family unboxing their Labubus, so I picked up a pack of six. We did an unboxing video and even authenticated the product," said the creator cited Pop Mart suggested, she scanned the QR code on the box which led her to the site where she had to key in the last four digits of the barcode to ensure that she had an original purchases passed the check and were proudly sported as her bag charms just like singer Rihanna and Bollywood persona Ananya Pandey. However, her joy was short lived because a keen-eyed collector spotted the fake as well as the dodgy credentials of the website providing fake replaced the fake – a Lafufu – on her bag with a true-blue Labubu. But remains unfazed.'Lafufus have their own fan base too!" she points Mart itself has tried to crack down on these fakes. Last month Chinese customs authorities reportedly seized more than 46,000 counterfeit Labubu toys, showing the surge in knockoffs. The Chinese state media issued warnings about a growing 'black market chain' exploiting consumers and infringing on intellectual property sales have fuelled Pop Mart's galloping growth since the company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2020. Founder Wang Ning is among China's top ten billionaires with a net worth of $22 though are a real threat as they retail for as less as $7.50 apiece and are seen as a way to keep up with the trend without spending too much money on the original.'70-80% Lafufus'"The fakes have become so good," Abbas Zaveri, founder of sneakers, streetwear and collectibles marketplace HypeFly said.'Things that customers could look out for is that the heads of the Lafufus tend to be very flimsy and the font on the box generally is embossed but the quality on the boxes of fakes tend to be sub-par."Another sure shot way of spotting a fake is the price. Anything that is being sold for under Rs 3,000 is likely not from Pop Mart. "Some Indian websites are selling a pack of six for Rs 9,000 whereas the original pack of six costs Rs 24,000 or more."Another reseller, Nikhil Jain who runs City Kicks India estimates that "about 70-80% of the dolls in the Indian market are Lafufus," he said.'The site URLs (that come up when the QR code is scanned) have subtle misspellings like "Pop Mari" or "Poap Mart" which are good tell-tale signs for this fraud. There are some marketplaces that have had to set up a team to authenticate their products because earlier they sold them as originals and customers figured out that they were being charged for an original but received a Lafufu instead."The fake trail is not limited to India alone, Scottish consumer watchdog Advice Direct Scotland said it was concerned by the surge in fake Labubu toys flooding the Scottish market.'These counterfeits are not only deceiving collectors and draining hard-earned money from families, but they are also leaving children heartbroken. We urge consumers to be vigilant, buy only from trusted retailers and report suspected fakes," Hazel Knowles, consumer project lead at the firm said.
Business Insider
03-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Kansas City tried one of Zohran Mamdani's big ideas for NYC. Here's how it could change riding the bus in the Big Apple.
New York City's Democratic nominee for mayor, Zohran Mamdani, is running on some eye-catching promises. One of them is free public buses. Mamdani argues that ending fees on buses, whose 2 million daily riders are disproportionately low-income, would allow the system to move more people — and more quickly, while relieving financial strain on the neediest. It's a controversial proposal with a tricky political path to implementation, one that a few US cities, such as Boston and Kansas City, have tried. Mamdani and other proponents point to New York City's recent yearlong free bus pilot, which he pushed for as a state legislator, in which one route in each of the five boroughs exempted all riders from the normal $2.90 fare. The experiment resulted in a 30% increase in weekday riders and a 38% increase in weekend riders on the free buses, although many of these riders simply shifted from paid to unpaid routes. There was also a nearly 40% reduction in assaults on bus drivers, altercations that often stem from a dispute over fare evasion, according to an MTA report. Meanwhile, critics say making all of the city's buses free — to the tune of about $700 million a year — isn't financially feasible or the best use of taxpayer money. How other US cities have fared without fares Kansas City was the first major metro in the US to fully support free fares in 2019, with Boston following in 2022 with a few prominent routes eliminating fees. Some smaller cities, like Alexandria, Virginia, and Tucson, Arizona, have also implemented free bus rides, but not at the scale of Mamdani's plan. In Kansas City, reports of safety and security incidents dropped by 39% in the first year of zero-fare rides. Riders in Boston also saved, on average, $35 a month through the first year of implementation, according to a press release from the Boston Transportation Department. Kansas City bus riders like Joy Mart, a 28-year-old software engineer, told Business Insider the program is essential, especially for those looking for a job or on a fixed income. Mart lost their job a few years ago, and said that as a newcomer to Kansas City, the free buses helped them tremendously. "It was just so helpful, since you know, we're counting pennies at that point," Mart said. Riders previously paid $50 for a monthly pass or $1.50 per ride. Mart is a leader with Sunrise Movement KC, an activist group that advocates for economic, climate, and racial justice. The group also supports and is petitioning for zero-fare buses at a time when some of its critics' biggest concerns are playing out. Due to budget shortfalls, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and the City Council approved reimplementing $2 fares to avoid major service cuts and driver layoffs. While the city already funded free buses for the next six months, after this period, the City Council will either rescind its plans or move forward with cutting services and bringing back fares. Indeed, funding remains the largest hurdle for many cities. Kansas City residents already pay for the free bus system through a sales tax reallocation. The ⅜-cent sales tax funded about 30% of the free bus fare program and will continue through 2034, according to the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority. In New York, the mayor doesn't have control over the MTA, which is a state agency, but Mamdani has said he hopes to partially fund the program in part by collecting overdue fines on landlords. A spokesperson for the Mamdani campaign didn't immediately return BI's request for comment. The MTA is already juggling a slew of urgent priorities, including desperately needed large-scale infrastructure improvement projects. Without a sustainable funding source, the program won't deliver what it promises, Zhan Guo, a professor of urban planning and transportation policy at NYU, told Business Insider. But Guo also wants to see more evidence that free buses would be more reliable and efficient than the current system. "This idea is very appealing to the general public, but I also feel there are actually many other options we haven't fully explored or utilized," he said. Guo thinks a Mamdani administration would be wise to start by expanding on the pilot program to test the waters. Regardless of whether Mamdani fulfills his key campaign promise, Guo said, it's a "very good time to talk about fare policy." "I like the fact that public transit, bus fares, such a very technical topic, became so visible in the mayor's campaign," Guo said. "This is actually a wonderful opportunity to engage the public." Helping low-income New Yorkers Proponents of free buses point to a slew of potential upsides to the policy. For one, buses tend to serve neighborhoods with poor access to trains and low-income populations who could spend their savings from bus fares on other essentials. Low-income New Yorkers are already eligible for half-price bus and subway fares through the MTA's Fair Fares program. But only about 38% of eligible people use the program. At the same time, nearly half of riders evade bus fares, costing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority — the state agency that runs the city's subways and buses — hundreds of millions of dollars a year. The equipment and personnel needed to collect fares are costly, too. Mamdani has pointed to the Staten Island Ferry, which has been free to ride for the last nearly 20 years, as an example of fare-free transit, which was made that way in part because collecting fares was too expensive. Mamdani and other supporters of the policy argue that buses can board passengers more efficiently without fares, keeping them on time and moving quickly while reducing conflict between bus drivers and riders evading the fare. "Some people see a tension between fast and free buses, but we shouldn't have to choose," Danny Pearlstein, a spokesman for the grassroots transit group Riders Alliance, told Business Insider. "We should be able to have both buses that move and buses that people can afford and that are worth paying for, even if not everyone or no one has to pay for them."
The South African
19-06-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Key Kaizer Chiefs star extends contract
Kaizer Chiefs are trying to build an exciting, youthful squad. However, retaining a handful of experienced heads will be key. Yusuf Maart has skippered the side and is on the brink of a new contract. Mart memorably scored a wonder-goal against Orlando Pirates in 2022. 'Mayele will only come to South Africa for a holiday and Amapiano' 29-year-old Yusuf Maart will stay on at Chiefs and play a vital role in their midfield, according to local reports from @UnplayableZA on X. At the start of 2024-2025, Mdu Shabalala was a critical component in the Chiefs side, operating from the number 10 role. His output was healthy, too. However, that has dwindled dramatically. In 27 league appearances last season, he only got four goals and an assist. Click for the story 30-year-old Edmilson Dove is the latest casualty. The club has announced that the Mozambican defender will leave the club at the end of this month when his deal expires. Mduduzi Shabalala of Kaizer Chiefs. Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix Click for all of the released players Does Maart deserve a new deal? Let us know by leaving a comment below or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Also, subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
