A STOURBRIDGE mum who has a rare, incurable lung disease is delighted after smashing her fundraising target for the charity which supports her.

Leanne Lillywhite-Sutton managed to raise £7,880 at a recent family fun day event she held at The Storehouse, in Brierley Hill, after setting herself a £5,000 target.

The 33-year-old, who suffers from Lymphangioleiomyomatosis – more commonly known as LAM – raised the money for LAM Action, a charity which helps women with the disorder that destroys lung tissue and leads to severe breathing problems.

Leanne, who lives with husbands James and one-year-old daughter Isemay, said: “We’re delighted to have smashed the figure we set out to achieve and to have also had 30 people sign up to become members of LAM Action.

“I’d like to say a huge thank you to my friend Clare Moss, who helped me organise the event, and to friends of myself and Clare, and family members, who helped run stalls, and also to everyone who came along and attended – I really appreciate it.

“A big thank you also to all of the local businesses who donated prizes for our raffle which was the main contributor to the overall total raised.”

Leanne was diagnosed with LAM in 2013, after she suffered a double lung collapse when she and husband James were visiting a relative at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

She then had another lung collapse two days later and was sent for a CT scan which showed that she was suffering from the disease.

The cause of LAM is still unknown, although it is believed there could be a hormonal connection as it almost exclusively affects women of childbearing age.

Leanne added: “The money will be put to good use in funding crucial research to help find a cure for LAM and the extra memberships will be hugely important when we apply for future research grants as the charity will be able to demonstrate that we are reaching more people.

“Our current membership is around 125 people, so an extra 30 members will have a big impact.”