AN Atherton mum who suffers from the same painful skin condition as her five-year-old daughter is hoping to recruit volunteers to help raise awareness of the disease.
Melanie Bradley and her daughter Rebecca both share the same genetic skin disease bullous ichthyosis, meaning they are missing a protein and their skin – which grows at an abnormal rate – is unable to regulate body temperature or maintain moisture.
This results in the skin thickening around their joints and breaking out into blisters.
Melanie, 37, has set up Facebook group Friends of Ichthyosis to bring people affected together and eventually hopes to launch a charity to raise awareness.
Ahead of Ichthyosis Awareness month in May, Melanie is calling for more volunteers to get involved.
She also hopes to raise enough money to buy a Microsilk bath for her daughter to ease her pain and discomfort from the condition.
At present Rebecca’s treatment consists of getting two baths a day for up to two-hours as her skin lacks vital moisture and elasticity, so it is constantly dry, cracks and breaks, as well as causing painful blisters, which makes mobility difficult.
The mum-of-two said: “It hurts to move too fast because you can break the skin, even socks being too tight can cause blisters which can lead to infection.
“With support from other people I would like to set up a website and put on events to really let people know that this can be easier with help, support and treatment.”
Both Melanie and Rebecca, who has just started primary school, have to follow a strict daily routine to prevent the skin getting infected.
Melanie added: “I am hoping to put on a fundraising event to coincide with awareness month for the disease but I need help and support.”
Melanie plans to hold an awareness event on Saturday June 25 at the Botanical Gardens in Hinsford, Atherton and is looking for volunteers to get involved, from entertainers looking to help to people willing to do a sponsored leg wax.
For more information visit facebook.com/Friends OfIchthyosis.
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