SUFFERERS of a painful and debilitating disease are to be offered help and support at an open evening in York next week.

The York branch of the National Osteoporosis Society (NOS) is having difficulty recruiting new members, despite the fact that one-in-three women and one-in- 12 men in the UK are likely to suffer from the condition once over the age of 50.

A public awareness evening is being held on Tuesday at The Guildhall, York, from 7.30pm, for people who suffer from, or want to find out more about the fragile bone disease.

According to the NOS there are 70,000 hip fractures, 50,000 wrist fractures and 40,000 spinal fractures attributed to osteoporosis each year in the UK - costing the NHS about £5 million a day.

People at risk from the disease include women who have had an early menopause or with a history of anorexia, men and women treated with long-term or high dose corticosteroids, and those who have had a fracture after a minor bump or fall.

Jeanette Owen, NOS regional co-ordinator for Northern England, said the support group could offer advice on preventing osteoporosis and support those who already have the disease.

The next regular group meeting is on June 5 at the voluntary centre in Priory Street, York, at 7.30pm.

She said: "Meetings are open to people with osteoporosis, carers and anybody who wants to find out more about it.

"People really want to be thinking about their children and how to stop them getting osteoporosis in the future.

"That involves drinking milk and eating other dairy products and doing weight-bearing exercises such as running, jumping, skipping - all the things that children used to do in the playground."

Jeanette will be speaking at the open evening on Tuesday, as will Professor David Purdie, Head of Clinical Research at the Centre for Metabolic Bone Disease in Hull.

For more information on Tuesday's open evening or the local support group, phone Jeanette Owen on 01978 780894.

Updated: 09:29 Friday, May 02, 2003