Misdiagnosed for Years
Gemma’s family said it took years before doctors finally figured out what was happening to her. At first, they were told it was anxiety, then later it was possibly multiple sclerosis. Each time they hoped for answers, they got another label that didn’t fully explain her decline. Gemma’s vision worsened, but every eye test came back fine. She was scared and confused, but also frustrated that no one believed her symptoms were real. Her brother recalled how she was told it was “all in her head.” By the time she was officially diagnosed with PCA at 30, the damage was done. She’d already lost much of her independence. Getting an accurate diagnosis took too long, and her family believes she deserved better care earlier. They now want people to listen more carefully to patients like Gemma.