A DAD-of-one who is battling a terminal illness is trying to drum up awareness of a rare condition with music.

Mick Wake, 45, has a serious lung condition, deteriorating eyesight, constant headaches and bleeding from the ear and nose.

His condition, sarcoidosis, which consists of grainy lumps which form in the body, struck his lungs, eyes, joints and has caused nerve damage on one side of his brain.

In spite of needing steroids to ‘shrink’ the disease and to visit a specialist London hospital for treatment, he still works full time and will be on drums with his band Art Thief at an event to raise awareness.

The Rishton man, who lives with wife Linda and 12-year-old daughter Hannah is also being considered for a course of anti-cancer drugs in a bid to step up the fight against the disease by specialists at Royal Brompton Hospital in Kensington.

On a daily basis he suffers painful headaches from nerve damage to the brain, nose bleeds, loss of breath, joint pain and fatigue.

His eyes are badly affected with his pupils ‘fused’ so they cannot dilate.

As well as avoiding bright lights, the drummer has to stay indoors on sunny days or when there is a risk of glare from snow.

The sales representative is hoping the charity evening in July will help other sufferers avoid the problems he had with a dignosis.

For five years, his symptoms which affected mainly his eyes, went unrecognised.

Two years ago, a swollen lymph node in his neck was removed and a biopsy revealed the truth.

Michael, a former Rishton Youth Group volunteer, said: “I still work but I can’t be as active with my daughter as I would like, though we still do a lot.

“I don’t blame my doctors, because the symptoms vary so much. They were focusing on my eyes, it never occurred to anyone to check out my lungs.

“I want to create as much awareness as I can. If only so just one other person gets checked out.”

The fundraiser for the British Lung Foundation is on Saturday July 16 at Rishton Conservative Club with live band Art Thief, disco, buffet and raffle For tickets contact Mike on 01254 720 568.