A mother of three who worked as a nurse for years has been given a devastating motor neurone disease (MND) diagnosis after first noticing discomfort in her feet. Judith Castillo, 54, from Huyton, emigrated from the Philippines to the UK as a young woman and spent much of her career at the Royal Liverpool Hospital alongside her husband Ronald.
Judith began experiencing soreness and numbness in her feet in December 2023. The symptoms gradually spread up her leg, leading to falls, difficulty driving and a rapid loss of mobility. Within six months she needed crutches, then a Zimmer frame, and eventually a stair lift was installed in the family home. She was formally diagnosed with MND in May 2024, months after the initial complaints.
Her daughter Rain, 26, who appeared on The Voice in 2022, described how the family's world has changed. 'She worked long hours and was complaining to me about her feet being sore and being numb. I told her, you're always on your feet, you don't stop,' Rain said. 'Then it started to affect her driving. She couldn't put her foot on the accelerator or couldn't control it as well as she used to.'
Rain, who is now her mother's full-time carer, also looks after her twin sisters, both 19, and her father, who continues to work as a nurse. The family kept Judith's illness private until recently, but decided to speak out and organise a fundraising event at BOXPARK Liverpool on Sunday, October 12, to celebrate her life. Proceeds will go to Marie Curie and the Motor Neurone Disease Association.
Judith has been given a life expectancy of four years. Rain said her mother, who never missed a dance rehearsal or school pick-up despite her shifts, is struggling to adjust. 'She wasn't dealing with it very well because she's used to being a nurse,' Rain explained. 'I'm a singer and the best thing I can do is to put on a show. What we're doing right now is giving her a bit of hope.'
