{"id":510526,"date":"2026-04-03T09:36:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T09:36:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/510526\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T09:36:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T09:36:09","slug":"popular-cornwall-fudge-man-given-devastating-diagnosis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/510526\/","title":{"rendered":"Popular Cornwall fudge man given devastating diagnosis"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">A popular fudge producer in Cornwall has had his life turned upside down after receiving a devastating diagnosis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Andrew Mortimer, who is best known for running Buy Fudge, noticed something wasn\u2019t right when he started to feel a tingling sensation in his hands and legs at the start of the year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">It led to him losing the feeling in his legs, along with a number of falls, and then losing the ability to walk.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">In February, the 46-year-old was taken to <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cornwalllive.com\/all-about\/royal-cornwall-hospital\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Royal Cornwall Hospital<\/a> at Treliske, <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cornwalllive.com\/all-about\/truro\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Truro<\/a>, where he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barr\u00e9 syndrome &#8211; a rare and serious condition affecting the nerves.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Andrew, who sells his fudge at local markets across <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cornwalllive.com\/all-about\/cornwall\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">Cornwall<\/a>, has been in hospital ever since and, after suffering temporary paralysis in his legs, is now needing to relearn to walk.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He said: \u201cAt this point in time, I have no idea what the long-term damage will be to me.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0_BZ_DC_BUYFUDGE.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">(Image: Supplied)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s attacked my nerves, so my immune system has misidentified my nerves as being something foreign and caused me a lot of pain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cWe&#8217;re still trying to work out a little bit about my legs and balance and my strength, so we&#8217;re very much in the early days.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;But I feel positive that I&#8217;m in the right place to get some help. I&#8217;m hopeful of a good outcome and I am making a slow recovery, but it&#8217;s probably going to be months before I can get back to work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">A GoFundMe page has been set for Andrew, <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gofundme.com\/f\/help-me-recover-from-guillainbarre-syndrome-gr5dw?attribution_id=sl:f4c12ba0-fdd1-4e80-8309-b777ba29ff60&amp;lang=en_GB&amp;ts=1773169621&amp;utm_campaign=man_ss_icons&amp;utm_content=amp20_t1&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=copy_link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">which you help support here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Andrew, who has not been able to work since the end of last year, said the situation has had a \u201csignificant impact\u201d on his finances and he is anxious for the future.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">But he is eager to get back to producing fudge as quickly as possible &#8211; and hopes to create a special flavour when he&#8217;s back.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ve really missed the people at market and I\u2019ve missed being part of the community.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cI really miss that Cornish community and how much people love Cornish fudge.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cThank you so much from the bottom of my heart (for all the support so far). It&#8217;s been a humbling experience to go through this.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">According to the <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cornwalllive.com\/all-about\/nhs\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">NHS<\/a>, Guillain-Barr\u00e9 syndrome affects your senses, your movement and things such as breathing and your heartbeat.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">It usually affects your arms and legs first before you get symptoms in other parts of your body. Symptoms usually get worse over the first two to four weeks.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">You might feel tingling, numbness or pins and needles in your feet and hands first. This is usually followed by muscle weakness and difficulty moving your joints.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Anyone experiencing these symptoms should ask for an urgent GP appointment or contact the NHS via 111.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><a aria-label=\"[object Object]Link opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cornwalllive.com\/newsletter-preference-centre\/?view=Solus&amp;mailingListId=9bdd3707-d2d8-427a-83d6-a04a9e49903b&amp;utm_source=solusarticle\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">Want the latest Cornwall breaking news and top stories first?<\/a> <a aria-label=\"Click here to join CornwallLive on WhatsAppLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/chat.whatsapp.com\/HH590b9EfLaCCVOli0p52S\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to join CornwallLive on WhatsApp<\/a> and we&#8217;ll send breaking news and top stories directly to your phone. 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