By patients... for patients; Support group is spreading word in documentary.

Byline: KAREN FAUGHEY

A DEDICATED Teesside woman is spreading the word about her rare muscular condition - by helping to create a short documentary for fellow sufferers.

Pam Hildreth, 62, from Saltburn, was enjoying the first few months of her retirement when she was struck down with Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR).

The disease, which affects the body's larger muscles such as the thighs, back and shoulders, is often so painful many sufferers find it hard to get out of bed.

After putting up with two years of excruciating pain, Pam became so frustrated at the lack of information available that she began swapping emails with other sufferers around the world.

As a result of their vision and determination, the group PMR-GCA UK was born - with Pam agreeing to take charge of the Teesside and North Yorkshire area.

Now less than a year on, the group has achieved charity status as well as a pounds 55,000 grant, and the North-east branch is putting the finishing touches to a DVD to help newly-diagnosed sufferers find out more.

Pam, a mum of one, said: "When people get diagnosed, they say 'I've got what?' and they don't understand anything about it.

"The doctor gives you the steroids and has you out in a quarter of an hour.

"This DVD explains basically what it is you've got. It tells you about the steroids and their side-effects, how to deal with it and various exercises to do to keep yourself in good condition."

The documentary was funded by Awards For All and contributors include Dr Saravanan, a rheumatology specialist from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead, and the charity's patron Dave Anderson, the MP for Blaydon.

Pam even agreed to be filmed at her local gym taking part in an Aqua Fit class. Once edited, the DVD will be offered free to anyone in the North-east who is diagnosed with PMR or its closely related disease - Giant Cell Arteritis.

"I haven't seen the finished cut," said Pam. "But four of us are going up to edit it pretty soon.

"It's driven by patients for patients. We don't want a load of jargon that patients won't understand. We want it to be very plain English, and we get the last say."

The next meeting of the PMR-GCA UK North-east support group is on Wednesday, August 19, at the James Cook University Hospital's Academic Centre in the D K Lecture Theatre from 1.30-3.30pm.

* Visit the new website www.pmr-gca-northeast.org.uk or contact Pam on 01287 623334.

CAPTION(S):

When people get diagnosed, they say 'I've got what?' and they don't understand anything about it Pam Hildreth, far left, pictured with Margaret Wright and Mavis Smith, centre, after setting up a support group for Polymyalgia Rheumatica sufferers