A FATHER has vowed to raise awareness of a rare neurological condition after his son’s death at the age of only 38.

Les Hammond, of Newland, near Malvern, wants to honour the strength and determination of his son, Mark, who died from neurosarcoidosis, by launching a fund-raising campaign.

The condition is a rare disease which can affect the lungs, eyes, skin and lymph glands with lumps or nodules and can ultimately change the function of the affected organ. It can be managed by drugs but for 10 per cent of sufferers it can become chronic and for one in 50 it is eventually fatal.

Mark had neurosarcoidosis diagnosed in 1997 following an epileptic fit and he died on Sunday, July 17, at Bristol Royal Hospital after spending much of the last five months of his life in hospital.

There was standing room only at his funeral at Worcester Crematorium on Monday.

He attended Somers Park Primary School before going on to Dyson Perrins High School and working for the natural history unit at the BBC.

His father now plans to pay tribute to his son’s memory by supporting the Sarcoidosis Interstitial Lung Association (SILA) in any way he can, as he feels there is little widespread knowledge about the condition.

Mr Hammond said: “From this point on my emphasis is about letting as many people know about the condition as possible. It can virtually effect every part of the body and in Mark’s case it did.

“He went down slowly to walking with sticks to eventually using a wheelchair and to being totally bedridden.

“I have such wonderful memories of Mark, I think we have got to let people know about the condition.”

He said his son’s brave battle appeared worse than that of his first wife, Sue, against cancer, a disease which receives more funding and research, and that Mark was never one to complain about his situation.

One of the potential fund-raising ideas Mr Hammond could pursue is the reformation of his son’s old school band, Jettison Dog, with a possible reunion show.

For more information about SILA, go to sila.org.uk.