A British mum who blacked out on a flight has revealed her diagnosis with a condition that affects just 100 people worldwide.
Nia Jones was eagerly gearing up to jet off to Barcelona for a quick city break.
She had only gotten home after a whirlwind trip to Paris with her daughter the day before.
But the 42-year-old’s travel bug hadn’t been satisfied just yet.
However, just after take-off, her body had other plans; and sent her the message that it would be best to remain on UK soil for the foreseeable.
“Everything went black,” the mum-of-one, from Ruthin, Wales, told Need To Know.
“When I woke up, I was lying in the middle of the plane aisle with a thumping headache.
“Blurry faces came into view and a woman said gently that I was in Paris.
“I asked where my daughter was, as I thought coming home from there was all a dream.
“But then my partner, Bryn, came next to me and said I was safe.
“I felt so confused as I was stretchered off to the hospital.”
Nia had suddenly fallen off her seat when her body began jerking in June 2015.
She briefly turned blue.
The plane made an emergency landing in Paris so she could be taken for further tests.
However, after multiple brain scans, nothing untoward was found.
Nia returned back to the UK via the Eurostar and was referred to a neurologist.
It was expected to be “one-off”.
But then, it happened again.
She said: “I had to give up my driving license in case it happened again.
“It was so stressful.
“Six months later, I blacked out again at home.
“In hospital, I was diagnosed with epilepsy, but my blood tests revealed my calcium levels were abnormally high.”
Nia was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder, multiple endocrine neoplasia type four, of which there are less than 100 confirmed cases worldwide.
It causes mutations in the tumour suppressor gene and places sufferers at high risk of developing tumours in the endocrine organs, such as the thyroid, pancreas and ovaries.
She said: “I was speechless.
“The consultant didn’t know if it had caused my epilepsy, but my high calcium levels could cause seizures.”
She had an operation to remove three parathyroid glands to regulate her levels.
Since then, Nia hasn’t suffered a single seizure.
She’s also been able to get her driving license back.
Nia added: “I have regular scans to check for tumours – but I’m doing well.
“I want to speak out about my condition, as it’s so rare.
“People could be living with it without knowing
“I’m proof that with the right treatment, there is chance to live a normal life.”
