A DAREDEVIL fundraiser plans to abseil down the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool to help scientists discover a drug for her mum's incurable condition.

Chelsea Ashman, 27,  is organising fundraising events for the charity that is supporting her mum Jackie Whitehead, from Runcorn, who was diagnosed with lymphangioleiomyomatosis, better known as LAM, which progressively destroys lung tissue.

Former Halton High School pupil Chelsea, who works at Harrogate District Hospital as a senior assistant technical officer in the cardiology department, said: “I’m doing this to support my mum who is only 49 with children and grandkids, in the hope that LAM Action are able to continue with their research and development in finding a cure and a drug that is able to prolong this awful disease as this charity is so underfunded and there is not much awareness is out there.

“My mum was a very energetic person who loved going on long walks and doing things with the family and who loved her job.

"She has been off work on sick leave and can hardly do much of her old routine.”

LAM only affects women and around 350 are believed to have the condition in the UK which causes breathing problems and in some case requires a lung transplant and can also cause benign kidney tumours.

Jackie was diagnosed with LAM earlier this year, after she went to her GP because she was struggling to breathe properly.

She said: “I had numerous tests but all the doctors struggled to identify the problem and my breathing was deteriorating. I finally got diagnosed after seven months when a new doctor arrived at the hospital and recognised that I had LAM."

Chelsea will be doing the abseil on Saturday, August 11, with husband Karl, 42, dad Michael Burgess, 45.

Jackie added: “I’m so pleased that Chelsea, Karl and Michael have decided to raise funds to support LAM Action as the charity and its co-ordinator Jill Pateman have been a huge support to me.

“I’m also hoping that their fundraising will help raise awareness about LAM as I know from my own experience that even most medics haven’t heard of it, which means that it is difficult to get a diagnosis and treatment.”

Money raised will go to LAM Action, the charity which provides support for women with LAM and also raises funds for research into the condition.

Chelsea added: “Liverpool Cathedral has always been somewhere I’ve wanted to visit. I’ve seen videos of people abseiling and thought I’d love to that – so what better than to combine both for charity.”

To donate visit justgiving.com/fundraising/chelsea-ashman.

For more information about LAM Action visit lamaction.org.