THE mother of a seriously ill baby has started a fundraising campaign to help provide for her son's future – starting by having her head shaved.

Five month-old Aaron Dutson of Caldicot suffers from a condition called Duchenne muscular dystrophy, affecting around one in 3,500 children in the UK. It causes the muscles to degenerate.

Doctors have said he may not live past his 30s and could be in a wheelchair from his teenage years.

His mother Catherine Morris is only 20 herself and has a three year-old daughter, as well as taking care of her partner's three year-old nephew.

Catherine said: "We found out at seven weeks when Aaron had a heel prick test – a test which is only done in Wales. We knew nothing about the condition and it is such a nasty disease.

"I was absolutely devastated and cried and cried when we got the diagnosis. I think parents of life-limited children can do one of two things.

"They can either love their child even more and become extremely protective of them, like I have with Aaron, or in some cases it becomes too hard for them and they find it hard to bond.

"I want people to know this horrible thing is going on, because it's not something people are aware of in the same way that they are aware of cancer or diabetes.

"I want to raise as much money as I can for the charity Action Duchenne so they can research ways of prolonging life and relieving the symptoms.

"I also want to raise money for Aaron's future needs so we can buy him mobility equipment and help give him a decent quality of life."

Catherine is getting her shoulder length hair shaved at a charity fun day on August 31 at The Fisherman's Inn, Sedbury (11am to 2pm).

There will be a bouncy castle, face painting, arts and crafts, a raffle, a tombola and a barbecue.