A FORMER Blackburn couple are hoping new treatment can transform the life of their son, who suffers from a rare brain disorder.

The only known long-term treatment for seven-year-old Robert Pickup's condition - which causes him to have up to 100 seizures a day - is removal of half of his brain.

But, since Easter, his seizures have been kept under control by new medication and his parents, Liz and Glyn, are keeping their fingers crossed that an alternative remedy can be found before they have to consider surgery.

Mr and Mrs Pickup moved to America from Blackburn 16 years ago. They returned last week to visit Glyn's mum, Clara, at her home in Moorgate Street, Mill Hill, Blackburn.

Clara, 76, dashed to Robert's family's aid in February when they had to take Robert for tests at the world-famous Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, 700 miles from the family home in Sparta, Michigan.

She is recovering from a heart attack but was delighted to hear that Robert is doing so well.

Liz, who is a former physiotherapist at Blackburn Royal Infirmary and is now a rehabilitation manager, said: "Tests at the Mayo showed that the problem is still there but that it is not manifesting itself in seizures.

"The doctors can only get smarter and now we have got time to play with, who knows, maybe they will come up with a cure." The medication, which has to be imported from Canada, costs the family £400 a month but they said it was worth every penny.

Glyn, who works for General Motors and is a volunteer firefighter, said: "The doctors have told us to enjoy what we have got. They said it was quite easy to do the surgery but you can't put back what you take out."

Robert's first seizure, when he was two, put him in intensive care. Over the next four years he had on average one grand mal or serious convulsion a month.

In March 1997, he began to have multiple petit mal seizures - a milder form - every day and could no longer take part in school activities.

Although his attention span is affected by his condition, called Ramussen's encephalitis, he has been able to attend school with the help of a personal health aide.

And Glyn said that since the seizures had stopped, he was able to learn with his classmates.

"The school is amazed. He's doing great," he said. "It's a Godsend, a blessing. Who would want to take half his brain away?"

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