A MUM of five who deals with daily dislocations want to raise awareness of her condition, which she said doctors do not understand.

Jojo Meadows from Eardisley was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome [EDS] two years ago, although she has coped with the symptoms all of her life.

It is a very rare connective tissue disorder, where there is not enough collagen in the body.

The collagen effectively glues everything together including arteries, bones and joints, so with less of it she suffers daily dislocations.

Miss Meadows, 38, said: "I go into hospital and they look me up and down and say you are fine.

"They google EDS in front of me and say what is wrong with you?"

She said the lack of awareness means her medical care is not always appropriate.

And she said the way health professionals reacted to her made her question if it was all in her head.

Miss Meadows added: "One doctor looked at me and said, 'Do you have a boyfriend?' I said no. He said: 'Maybe you need to get one.'

"He thought I was lonely and thought I had nothing better to do than make up these symptoms."

It wasn't until she was referred to a consultant in Birmingham, she was diagnosed.

She later met Dr Ayman Askari, a rheumatologist in Shrewsbury, and together they have set up an EDS support group under the banner of the EDS charity (www.ehlers-danlos.org).

They have also targeted year four medical students to show warning signs and symptoms- helping to create a new insight within the medical knowledge.

As well as being a journalist she has also helped set up a company called Pamona Kitchens with fiance, Nathan Tong, which will include designing kitchens for disabled people.

Miss Meadows said: "This condition is not recognised, known or understood and it is time to bring attention to the misunderstood, the silent illness that sadly there is no cure for. "

The next support meeting is on December 14 at Dorrington Old Hall in Dorrington, Shropshire at 1.30pm. For more information email jojohappymeadows@icloud.com.