Rare neurological condition changes Daira Liepiņa's daily life

Daira Liepiņa has shared her experience of living with a rare, progressive neurodegenerative illness that transformed her life. She first noticed the condition three years ago, suddenly, in a single moment, following an incident.

Life seemed to be going well

The illness appeared at a time when, by her own account, everything in Daira's life was going well — she had a job she had dreamed of, she was studying at university, and she had a supportive family. After the incident, however, things began to change, and, as she describes it, her world started slowly falling apart.

Daily effects

The condition manifests in several ways. Daira says she loses jewelry and cannot remember where objects are if they are not directly in front of her. She also experiences sudden headaches and dizziness. She describes her own condition briefly as "too slow."

Daira Liepiņa's story is a reminder that rare neurodegenerative illnesses can rapidly affect a person's everyday functioning, even at a time when life otherwise appears to be on the right track.