Teen Lyme disease sufferer says US treatment is her only hope

A teenager from Cornwall who was diagnosed with Lyme disease hopes that pioneering treatment in the United States will be able to let her live a normal life again.

Tia Poore, who's 19 and from Truro, became unwell after she was bitten by a tick. She went from being a normal active teenager, to one who is housebound and reliant on constant care.

Tia Poore has had years of suffering from crippling pains and seizures with her condition undiagnosed. Operations, tests and scans became part of everyday life but doctors could still not determine what was wrong with her.

Eventually it was discovered that Tia had contracted Lyme disease, which is passed through tick bites.

Timeline of events:

Now Tia's family believe treatment in America is her best chance for the future, her options back home have been limited in their success. They hope a video of her story that they have posted online will help raise funds as well as awareness about the condition.

Tia's mother is now her full time carer, and she just wants her daughter to be herself again.

With treatment Tia hopes she can get well enough to work and do "simple things in life like going for a walk and things, that would be nice".