Devon woman staging an exhibition to raise awareness of Functional Neurological Disorder

• ITV News' Jacquie Bird has been speaking to Kirsty-Ann about how painting has helped her.

A Devon woman who was struck down with a neurological condition says art has become a therapy to help her get on with her life.

Kirsty-Ann Johnstone was on a barefoot charity walk in October 2020 when she thought she was having a stroke.

Rushed to hospital she was diagnosed instead with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), a condition which mimics the symptoms of a stroke as well as Parkinson's and MS.

She told ITV News West Country: "By the time I got to hospital, I was struggling to speak at all.

"And it affected all my left side, so it was really difficult to process what was happening."

The FND has left Kirsty-Ann with a stutter, she has issues with mobility and agonising tremors. It has meant she has had to give up work and lose her independence.

There is no cure for the condition and treatment is a postcode lottery. Kirsty-Ann has had to rely on friends and family to get her through.

But she has discovered art, and is set to put on an exhibition of some of the 3,000 paintings she has created as part of her own therapy.

She said: "It's lovely to be able to raise awareness of FND and the importance of the charities.

"And all these paintings are my emotions, my journey with living with FND.

"But it's really important that people realise that it's not just a psychological, mental illness, it's physically challenging.

"You know, if you put all the symptoms of Parkinsons and MS and a stroke together and think of having all those symptoms in one day, that's what we battle with every day."

Kirsty-Ann's exhibition is already sold out. She and her friends from the Plymouth Military Wives Choir will also perform at the event, which will raise funds and awareness for FND Awareness month.