A KEIGHLEY school is backing a campaign to make a new medicine available in the UK for people afflicted by a rare condition.

Holy Family Catholic School has thrown its weight behind a petition which, if successful, would benefit former Holy Family pupil Chris Smeaton, who has an illness called Morquio syndrome.

This is an enzyme deficiency which means the body cannot break down a certain type of sugar.

The build-up of sugar in the body causes arthritis-type problems in the skeleton, harms the heart and affects breathing and overall life expectancy.

Mr Smeaton, 29, who was born in Keighley and left Holy Family in 2003, has been on crutches since he was nine-years-old. He said the new medication is called Vimizim, and even though it was developed in the UK it has not been made available here.

He said if he is able to have access to the drug it could make a "phenomenal", positive difference to his life.

"I've had to have various different types of corrective surgery, metal plates in my hip and I have a problem with my joints dislocating at will so I have to spend time recovering while they mend," he added.

"I'm actually quite lucky because I've got a tamer version of the condition.

"Some people who suffer from it don't live past childhood because of heart complications.

"If it is managed and you get the correct medication in time you can have a much better quality of life.

"Because my condition is at the lower end of the scale this drug would have a dramatic impact. Potentially my life expectancy would go up, my heart would be stronger and I wouldn't need crutches. I could be fully mobile."

Mr Smeaton works as a financial advisor. He left Keighley two years ago and now lives in Southampton, though still has family who live locally. He is planning to move to London in the New Year.

He said trials for Vimizim had finished last year. "It hasn't been made available in the UK because it is only meant for a couple of rare conditions," he said.

"Maybe 1,000 people in the UK would benefit from it, so they're looking at other drugs which are also vying for funding that could perhaps help a larger number of people."

The petition which Mr Smeaton is urging people to sign closes on December 16, and is available online at https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/nhs-england-s-scorecard-discriminates-against-treating-ultra-rare-diseases

Holy Family School has publicised the petition on its Twitter account and is encouraging people to sign up.