An “inspirational” young woman with terminal brain cancer has achieved another one of the dreams on her bucket list by getting to become a Manchester firefighter for the day.
22-year-old Laura Nuttall, from Barrowford in Lancashire, was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme – an aggressive and incurable form of brain cancer – following a routine eye test back in 2018, and was told she only had around 12 months to live after she was found to have eight tumours.
Since her diagnosis, Laura has bravely endured a craniotomy to remove the largest tumour, been through a gruelling programme of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and has regularly travelled to Germany for innovative new immunotherapy treatment.
Laura’s shock diagnosis initially led to her leaving university in London to concentrate on treatment and ticking items off her bucket list.
After responding so well to the immunotherapy treatment, Laura was able to restart her studies, this time a little closer to home at the University of Manchester, and grabbed headlines when she graduated back in July and was able to celebrate with her mum Nicola, dad Mark, and sister Grace proudly watching on.
Meeting former First Lady Michelle Obama, commanding a Royal Navy ship, presenting a live BBC weather forecast, and accompanying legendary Bolton comedian Peter Kay to a Michelin-starred pub lunch, are some of the things Laura has been able to tick off her bucket list over the last few years – but despite all these achievements, she wasn’t done just yet.
Her sights were set on the fire service.
22-year-old terminal cancer patient Laura Nuttall got to become a Manchester firefighter for the day / Credit: GMFRS
After seeing and being inspired by her story in the news, firefighter Aaron Lee invited Laura and her parents to pay a visit to Oldham Fire Station – where he is based – for the day.
Laura says she has long had an interest in the fire service, and was thrilled to accept the invitation to head down one day a couple of weeks back.
It’s an experience Laura says she’ll never forget as she continues to “defy the odds”.
The 22-year-old was given a tour of the fire station and shown around a working fire engine, with a demonstration on how all of the hundreds of components work, before she was then able to pull on her own firefighter’s uniform and try it out for herself.
Laura was not only taken out for a ride in a working fire engine, but she was also taken up in a cherry picker, and got to hold a hose too.
Inspirational Laura Nuttall (22) was given 12 months to live in 2018 but she's defying odds as she continues to tick off bucket list goals.
— Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service (@manchesterfire) December 23, 2022
“It was an absolute privilege to be joined by Laura and her mum and dad for the day,” Aaron said.
“I, and everyone else at Oldham Fire Station, have been really touched by Laura’s fight and resilience, so to be able to invite her here for the day really is the least we can do. The courage and positivity she shows is so inspiring and I’m really pleased we were able to give her an experience I hope she won’t forget.
“She’s a real hero and I wish her the very best.”
Laura said the unique day out was something she “never thought [she’d] be able to do.
“I’m really grateful to Aaron and everyone else at Oldham Fire Station for going out of their way to show me round for the day,” she added.
Live football to be prescribed by some GPs to help treat patients with depression
Danny Jones
Live football looks set to be prescribed by a section of the NHS in an effort to try and help people suffering from depression.
As part of the experimental new wellbeing and mental healthcare initiative, GPs across the UK could soon be able to suggest watching football in person as part of their wider treatment plans.
While it may sound like a somewhat unorthodox approach, it’s sparked plenty of conversation on social media and is already gathering some steam up and down the country.
The scheme is being pioneered by Labour MP, Dr Simon Opher, the representative for Stroud, as well as Ecotricity owner and green industrialist, Dale Vince.
Today we’ve announced Football On Prescription. Football clubs up and down the country and up and down the leagues can take part in this – and I hope they will. Mental health is a big issue, as are loneliness and isolation. One of the superpowers of football is its inclusivity -… pic.twitter.com/OWNOag6Fcc
‘Prescribed footy’, to coin a somewhat jarring colloquialism, is set to be rolled out to relevant patients across the Gloucestershire region diagnosed with depression and some other mental health conditions.
Those on the receiving end of these prescriptions will be offered free tickets to watch local National League side, Forest Green Rovers (FGR), based in the town of Nailsworth.
Vince, who founded Ecotricity – formerly known as Renewable Energy Company – back in 1995, bought Forest Green back in 2010 and is just passionate about football and mental health as the push for clean energy and environmental causes.
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio in an interview on Tuesday, 22 July, the 64-year-old Norfolk-born OBE said: “We just do the things that we see, that we think could be done, should be done, that will help; whether it’s helping our planet, our country – people here [in Gloucestershire]…
“When you attend football matches, particularly regularly, you find yourself a part of something, a part of a group of people with a common purpose. It’s a wonderful social experience that we think would be really good for people suffering from mental health problems.”
Despite some doubters and detractors questioning his motives online and in the media, he insists the sentiment is purely altruistic, and FGR hope to aligning itself with big causes like mental health, even making the first fully vegan-certified football kits ahead of the 2025/26 season.
He also went on to add, “We also won’t take adverts or sponsorship from gambling companies: they do great harm in our society.”
As for Dr Opher, he has continued to champion ‘social prescribing’ across his medical and political career, backing it as a viable alternative to common medication such as antidepressants for some individuals with mild-moderate depression.
The live football on presecption concept has been met with plenty of pushback online, including lots of discourse surrounding priorities and the NHS remaining underfunded, but only time will tell how well these early trials go.
What do you make of the idea of football being put forward as an aid for depression and do you think it should be considered by the NHS at large?
These viral sensations are a plush toy created by Hong Kong-born, Netherlands-raised designer Kasing Lung, who drew inspiration from his love of fairytales to create a character with bunny-like ears, large eyes and big smiles.
They’re swinging off handbags all over the UK at the minute and people are queueing for hours for the latest Labubu drops.
At Sweet Dreams, they’re making edible chocolate Labubus using a special mould flown in from Japan.
Each one has a pistachio kunafa filling and is painstakingly painted by hand.
And that brings us neatly to the next viral craze at play here – Dubai pistachio chocolate.
An army of pistachio chocolate LabubuInside a chocolate pistachio Labubu
Kunafa is a staple in Middle Eastern bakes and pastries but hit the global mainstream last year when thick chocolate pistachio bars stuffed with it went viral online, spawning countless dupes and inspired specials.
And finally, chocolate covered strawberries – hardly a new invention, but this simple dessert has rocketed in popularity especially in food hotspots like Borough Market in London.
Head into Sweet Dreams and you can build your treat from the base up – choose white or milk melted chocolate for your strawberries, layer on pistachio kunafa, then top with either a milk or white chocolate Labubu.
A slightly daft novelty? Yes. But that doesn’t stop them being delicious.
This is the only place in the UK currently selling Dubai pistachio chocolate Labubus.
Emily Sergeant -
26th December 2022 
