NEXT Friday, May 21, The Blue Ball Restaurant, Tenby, is proud to host a charity night in aid of OUCH (UK) - the Organisation for the Understanding of Cluster Headaches.

This is a charity close to the heart of one of the owners of the Blue Ball, as Debbie's 13-year-old nephew Liam Phillips (pictured right) has been suffering badly with this debilitating condition for the past 18 months.

The aim of the evening is to raise much-needed funds, as well as awareness of the condition, something which most people, including Liam and Debbie's family hadn't even heard of until recently.

It is a condition much misunderstood, so much so that it has baffled Liam's doctors and he's had to recently partake in pioneering medication at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.

The condition is almost crippling. Liam suffers from headache attacks that are so severe that other (female) sufferers have described the pain as worse than childbirth! Doctors have labelled these headaches as one of the most painful conditions known to man.

Liam and his devoted mum Trudie Phillips, of Prince's Gate, spent most of last week in Great Ormond Street Hospital. The condition is so baffling to doctors that there is no cure, and it is little understood.

Liam had infusions of Dihydroergotamine - a painkiller. This has only been tried on two previous suffers - it worked in one case, but not the other. The doctors and the family haven't seen any positive effects yet, but are keeping fingers crossed!

In the meantime, Liam's education has suffered as he has only been in school a few weeks when he is in remission. He loves all kind of sport and in particular football and misses all these things very much including interacting with his friends.

The condition affects Liam's balance so much so that when these bouts occur, he is confined to a wheelchair and has to take an oxygen cylinder around with him, which helps him breathe a little easier. The strain that this is putting on Liam's close family is enormous.

There is so little research and understanding of this condition in the UK, that it is hoped by holding this charity fund-raiser, much needed cash can help, even if just a little into the charity.

OUCH has been instrumental in helping the family cope a bit better and deal in some way with the condition, and the family want to give something back.

The Blue Ball is hosting a dinner, with a raffle and entertainment. They are confident that with the help of their sponsors and the generosity of family and friends, they should be able to donate at least £20 of the £25 ticket to the charity.

Hopefully, with the proceeds of the raffle and the proceeds from the ticket, they should raise at least £1,000!

For further information, please contact Debs, Mel or Paul at the Blue Ball on (01834) 843038.