Hunger strike after 'poor care'

Christine Jennings is cared for by her daughter

A Leicestershire woman is on hunger strike because she says she cannot get proper medical treatment for a rare medical condition.

Christine Jennings, 43, from Hinckley, believes she contracted Lyme disease after being bitten by a tick during a walk in the country.

She claims local hospitals have been unhelpful and her condition has left her blind and homebound.

Health authorities say she has been offered appointments.

All we can hope for is the pain element of her condition is addressed Rebecca Sabin, daughter

Mrs Jennings claims she contracted the disease 10 years ago but has never been offered proper care.

She believes better care would have cut down on the complications she has suffered.

"I am absolutely desperate, this is the end of a long, long campaign to get my condition addressed in the full knowledge that they know what they are looking at," she said.

"What they have done to me over the last 10 years and what they have left me to emotionally and physically deal with has been very damaging."

After a rash and possible nerve problems, symptoms of the disease can include severe headaches, painful arthritis and joint swelling, heart problems and even mental disorders such as short term memory loss and difficulty concentrating.

Appointment offered

Her daughter, Rebecca Sabin, said: "All we can hope for is the pain element of her condition is addressed and the progress of the disease is slowed.

"We want to get her out of the pain she's in so that will improve the quality of her life."

The Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham confirmed Mrs Jennings has seen several specialists and also that they had received a complaint.

Mrs Jennings has, in the past few days, received a referral to her hospital of choice - The University Hospital of Middlesbrough - which specializes in hard to detect diseases.

But she plans to continue her hunger strike until a date and time for the appointment is confirmed in writing.

There about 300 confirmed cases of Lyme disease in this country each year.