A VETERAN politician who has survived an aggressive brain virus has called for more support for sufferers in East Lancashire.

Eileen Kershaw, Rossendale’s longest-serving councillor and mother of former Radio One DJs Andy and Liz, has spoken of her struggle with viral encephalitis and her desire to raise awareness about the disease.

The virus can strike anyone, at any age, and causes inflammation of the brain. It is usually triggered by an infection, or by the body’s own immune system attacking the brain in error.

Without urgent treatment, up to eight in 10 people affected will die. Even with prompt medical attention, only seven in 10 people affected survive.

Mrs Kershaw, 79, from Whitworth, fell ill with severe flu-like symptoms in January 2011 and collapsed at a funeral in June that year and had to be rushed to Rochdale Infirmary, where she fell into a coma for three days.

She was then moved to the intensive care ward at Fairfield General Hospital, where she stayed for around three weeks.

It was not until her condition became stable and she was moved on to the main ward that she was diagnosed with encephalitis.

Mrs Kershaw, who served on Lancashire County Council, Rossendale Council and Whitworth Town Council for 50 years, said: “The virus has gone now, but I still have to take steroids every day and have bouts of aggression, a symptom of the virus.

“My doctor, Dr Say Kouta at Fairfield, is amazing but he is too busy to hear about all the emotional problems that go with the virus.

“It really got me down, so I got in touch with The Encephalitis Society. They are based in North Yorkshire and are absolutely brilliant, they’ve made me feel so much better, but they are the only group in the world that support people with encephalitis.

“People need to know about this horrible virus and there needs to be more support for people with it locally.”

For more information, visit www.encephalitis.info.