THE pain of losing a daughter to a chronic genetic disease has inspired a York mother to help other sufferers.

Jacqueline Mould, from York, died in 1997 aged 27, only two years after being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) - a group of genetic disorders which weaken the tissues of the body, resulting in bruising and sometimes ruptured arteries.

Now her mother, Rae Mould, is trying to raise money for the publication of an information booklet that will help other sufferers get the treatment and support they need.

Mrs Mould, 59, of Southfield Close, Rufforth, York, who is raising the funds for the Ehlers-Danlos Support Group, said: "I'm doing this for Jacqueline. I could either sit here and weep or I could do something to help the other people who have EDS."

She said that people with EDS can struggle to obtain a full diagnosis because of the wide range of symptoms and a lack of understanding of the condition.

Symptoms include fragile skin that breaks and bruises easily, joints that are lax and dislocate easily, pain in the joints and limbs and skeleton deformities.

But she is hoping that the new booklet will give them the information they need to secure a full diagnosis - and therefore obtain the help they need to cope with the condition.

Mrs Mould said: "My daughter tried for many years to get a diagnosis. She was going to see specialists, but they were unable to say she definitely had this condition.

"She had an accident and split her scalp one time, but because the doctor doing the stitches did not know she had EDS, and used stitches instead of butterfly tape, she was left with terrible scars.

"The problem is that EDS comes in six different types. The sort my daughter had, vascular EDS, was the worst because she died from it, but there are milder forms.

"Mothers have been accused of battering their children because of the bruises they suffer. It would just be so helpful for people to have all the information about this condition, so they can show their doctor, so they know what tests to ask for."

For more information or to help with Mrs Mould's fundraising, contact her at 17 Southfield Close, Rufforth, York, YO23 3RE or telephone 01904 738427.

Updated: 09:02 Tuesday, May 27, 2003