A CAMPAIGN to raise awareness and funds to help fulfil the wishes and dreams of a seven-year-old boy suffering from a fatal disease has been given a superhero boost.

Josh Jessop’s mother Karen launched the Facebook campaign 'Josh’s Journey for Life' to help realise his bucket list of dreams and highlight what she says is a “real stinker” of a disease, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

The latest boost to the campaign came from artist Biffa Sutherland at K2 Body Art in Richmond who did a poster of Joshua as Superhero Spiderman.

He said:” "Seeing Joshua's little face when he saw the picture I made for him really made my day. What an awesome little dude. If you get a chance please go give his page a like."

Josh has already ticked off some of his bucket list, such as opening the Next store at Catterick Garrison just like a celebrity and meeting Santa at Tennants Auction Rooms in Leyburn.

Now his mother has launched the 79 People 79 Pounds 79 Days challenge.

The disease is a severe muscle wasting illness which affects boys, gradually causing them to become weaker and weaker. Life expectancy ranges from adolescence to early adulthood. Josh, from Richmond, was diagnosed when he was three,

His distraught parents Karen and Alan are determined to be positive and want to give Josh as many happy memories and experiences as they can.

Mrs Jessop said:”The idea is to find 79 people who will pledge as a New Year Resolution to raise £79 for Joshua’s Trust Fund and we have until March 19 which is 79 days from New Year."

The 79 comes from the number of Exons in the Dystrophin gene which is what is causing the problems for Josh, because it is not producing the proteins needed to maintain and build his muscles.

Mrs Jessop added: “The dystrophin gene is the largest gene in our DNA.

"The 79 Exons are joined together like the pieces of a puzzle. When some are duplicated, spliced or jumbled this causes Duchenne. Josh has numbers 45 to 54 missing.

“It would be amazing if people can help us with the 79 challenge, we just want to be able to give Josh as many happy memories as possible.

“Josh has just received his first wheelchair and has coped really well. Now he's asked for wheel covers and lights, we need to do a search on the internet now, so glad he's happy and I can breathe a sigh of relief."

For information and to help, vitis the Joshua’s Journey for Life Facebook page at facebook.com/Joshuas-Journey-for-Life-386891138150443/?fref=ts.