A DARLINGTON woman is taking her fight to get an ‘invisible disease’ recognised as a disability in UK law to Parliament.

Twenty-nine-year-old Alison Morton, who is chairman of the Longbenton-based Newcastle Fibromyalgia Support group, will join a team of people next month to speak to MPs about the need for funding and research into the condition.

“We are going to speak to MPs about the desperate need for more funding, research, recognition, support and education with regards to Fibromyalgia,” she said.

“It's something that millions across the UK live with, and yet, there's not adequate support for people living with this chronic illness.

“This chronic, life changing, invisible illness affects, men, women and children across the world.”

Fibromyalgia, also called fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), is a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body.

Miss Morton has recently conducted an online survey looking at what it's like to live with Fibromyalgia, and has had more than 500 responses from across the country.

“The results are heart breaking,” she said. “People across the UK are committing suicide, having suicidal thoughts, and experiencing serious mental health crisis' because of the impact Fibromyalgia has on their lives. We need the help, and we need it now.

“These are the people I'm standing up for, the voices that are unheard, or laughed out of doctor’s offices."