Mother to present petition to PM

A petition calling for more research about a rare disease is to be presented to the Prime Minister next week.

Bolton mother Susan Jones, whose daughter Emma Matheson died from sarcoidosis, has backed the campaign.

Emma died in November last year aged 22 after a life-long battle with the disease which affected her skin, joints and eyes.

The online petition, which has more than 680 signatures, was set up by Keith Bigland, aged 41, from Norfolk, who suffers from the condition.

It is to be presented at 10 Downing Street on Thursday, June 4.

Sarcoidosis is a chronic condition which causes extreme fatigue, confusion, fevers, muscle weakness and tremors.

It can affect many different organs in the body, most commonly the lungs but also the liver, skin, lymph nodes, kidneys and head.

In adults, the condition can burn itself out or be treated with steroids, but because Emma was only six months old when she was diagnosed she was never strong enough to get over it.

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