Mum's plea for birthday wishes for schoolboy in constant pain

Tanya Williams is pleading for help to save her son, Rhys, who is losing hope having suffered a rare life-limiting and agonising skin condition since he was born.

At birth, his parents had no idea whether he would ever reach his teenage years. The youngster is now 13-years-old, but he is confined to a wheelchair because of severe epidermolysis bullosa, which results in painful skin blisters, sores and has even caused his fingers to fuse together.

Rhys says he wishes "a butterfly would come and take him away" and his devastated mum is desperate to show him he has something to fight for.

Ms Williams said: "The last few months, he's had enough of life. He's had enough of being in pain with the sores. He just wants to give up, he doesn't want to fight anymore. What do you do as a mum?"

Ahead of his 14th birthday on September 21, his mum is asking for cards to be sent Rhys' way in the hopes of showing him that people care.

She added: "He's such a happy boy most of the time but recently it's a struggle to try and get through to him. I don't think he can fight much longer, his life depends on this.

"Rhys' life revolves around school, Xbox, sleep, repeat. He doesn't want to go shopping because he doesn't like the way people look at him.

"I don't want him to be in pain anymore but I still want him to be here."

The family have done similar appeals before, gathering Christmas cards from Bolton residents to decorate the house and cheer up Rhys. Last time, the Sharples School pupil was treated to hundreds of festive wishes and loved getting each one in the post.

Ms Williams said: "Every single card he received, he opened them with so much joy. He came home from school and he would see these Christmas cards. He got hundreds at a time. It showed him that he still needs to fight, that there's people out there who do care and do love him. Hopefully it can make him see that not everything is bad."

Cards can be sent to 40 Whalley Avenue, Bolton, BL1 5UD.