A BLACKPOOL mum is giving her support to Cystic Fibrosis Week in a bid to increase people's awareness of the condition which has turned her family upside down.

Denise Burns has had first-hand experience of cystic fibrosis ever since her son James, now two, was diagnosed as suffering from the illness when he was just six months old.

It meant her whole family, including husband John and sons Ashley, five, and Aaron, 13, had to come to terms with the fact that life would never be the same again.

She explained: "We were an ordinary family, we never thought it could happen to us. All of a sudden you have to watch every wheeze or cough, every sign of a cold because you know that drastic action is needed."

James's condition came to light when he developed a chest infection which he couldn't shake off. Tests revealed he had cystic fibrosis and for the next six months he was in and out of hospital.

Since then he has done well, although he still has to endure vital physiotherapy for half-an-hour two or three times a day.

Meal-times are also a struggle as James has a very poor appetite and has to take ten large capsules with every meal, the contents of which Denise has to sprinkle over his food discreetly - if James knew he wouldn't eat it.

Luckily, she has had the full support of her family, not least from young Ashley. "He looks after James," she said.

"He knows he can't leave the table until James has finished his meal or he would stop eating and follow him. Ashley has invented all kinds of games to make him eat."

Denise is backing Cystic Fibrosis Week, which runs from April 13-21, as a way of highlighting the problems sufferers have to endure.

She said: "It is such a cruel disease because it's so silent. I try and stay positive but every now and then it does get to me.

"Three people die of cystic fibrosis every week and they did manage to isolate the gene in 1989.

"Now is the time to intensify the research, but there is little Government funding and it does rely on the support of ordinary people."

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