THE Mersey Gateway will light the sky green tomorrow, Wednesday, to support Mitochondria Awareness Week.

The awareness week, which started on Sunday, will see landmarks around the world turn green in the hope of starting a conversation about Mitochondrial disease.

The disease occurs when the mitochondria in our bodies which convert food into energy do not work properly, causing cells to die.

Melissa Streete, 38, originally from Widnes, lost her son to the disease in 2017.

She explained: "Sebby was born September 19, 2011 and was healthy.

"He took a long time to be able to sit up unaided and roll over and developed plagiocephaly, a flattening of the head, which now I believe was to do with lack of energy and lack of movement.

"After consultations with community paediatricians, Sebby was given an MRI when he turned two years old, to rule out an under lying issue.

"They surprisingly did identify an issue that wasn’t worrying at first as we were told Sebby looked too well.

"Sebby was rescanned six months later where they advised of suspected Mitochondrial Disease.

"As parents, we had never heard of this disease and we didn’t realise what we were told was going to be so devastating; a disease that is life limiting and has no cure.

"At this time Sebby was still progressing with physio, standing and sitting and taking steps with a lot of support.

"He was interactive with everyone, never able to speak but he would reach out and laugh at friends and family.

"A couple of months later we were given an exact diagnosis and it was a fault in the mitochondria DNA.

"There were not any medicines that would help Sebby, this was heartbreaking.

"Slowly over time, Sebby developed epilepsy and cardiomyopathy and the list of medication grew.

"We had numerous 999 calls as seizure activity increased, followed by stays in hospital to make sure he had recovered.

"Sebby was such a sweetie, his smile would light up a room.

"Sebby was remembered by all who had the chance to meet him and he gave the best cuddles.

"Christmas 2016, Sebby became unwell, but on Christmas Day 2016 he was taken to Alder Hay Hospital with pneumonia.

"He spent 28 days in PICU but was not able to fight any longer."

Sebby died surrounded by his family on January 23, 2017.

Ms Streete and her family and friends continue to support The Lily Foundation which was founded in 2007 by Liz Curtis in memory of her daughter Lily, who died from Mitochondrial disease at eight months old.

The foundation helps to try and develop treatments and a cure for the disease.