The parents of an eight-year-old Croydon boy, who is the only British person to have been diagnosed with a rare disease, stepped up their fundraising last week with a charity golf day.

Jake Flint has aromatic amino-acid decarboxylase (AADC) a genetically inherited disorder affecting the brain's ability to produce two of the most essential neurotransmitters needed for everyday living.

When Jake was born Tony and Lisa Flint were told their baby son had cerebral palsy and would spend his life in a wheelchair.

Refusing to believe the diagnosis Lisa and her husband, from Ridgemount Avenue in Shirley, fought the experts and finally after their own extensive research, Jake was diagnosed as the first British person to suffer from the illness.

Now the couple run an international charity which aims to help children and their families all over the world who have been diagnosed and also to fund a research project so that more people can receive the help they need.

There are now 30 people in the UK who have been diagnosed but Lisa believes that a lack of knowledge and research could mean many more people have been misdiagnosed, just as Jake was.

The golf day took place at Croham Hurst Golf Club followed by an evening awards dinner.

To help Lisa and Tony contact them on 020 8654 1090. For more information on AADC visit aadcresearch.

org.