Number 10 accepts disease appeal

Number 10 has agreed to accept Wendy Fox's lyme disease portfolio.

A woman who has lyme disease is to take an appeal for better treatment and more research to 10 Downing Street.

Wendy Fox, from Wath-upon-Dearne in South Yorkshire, is to travel to London this week to hand in her plea.

Mrs Fox was diagnosed with the tick-borne infection in 1993. Since then, the disease has left her paralysed and in a wheelchair.

Mrs Fox said that treatment for the disease in the UK was "ridiculously backward".

Less severe

Lyme disease has been a growing concern in the United States for many years, with public health officials running regular campaigns to try to tackle the disease.

The problem has not been so severe in the UK and parts of Europe.

Mrs Fox said: "Lyme disease is misunderstood, misdiagnosed and under treated in the UK.

"We are years behind the US simply because doctors and government officials are under the misconception that lyme disease is rare in the UK."

But, she added, ticks carrying the infection have now been found in London parks.

US expert

Lyme disease sufferers in the UK are being treated inadequately, Mrs Fox says.

A fund has been set up to pay for her to get treatment from one of the top US lyme disease experts.

Mrs Fox said the journey to London would be a "big deal" because her health was now so poor.

"It is something I feel I must do in order to draw attention to this issue," she added.