Martine Mockford, of Ness Road, is encouraging people to visit the Number 10 Downing Street website in a bid to raise awareness of the relatively unknown disease systemic lupus.

Her 20-year-old daughter Serena Bilcock has been ill since she was 13 but doctors only diagnosed her with lupus, a disease where the body’s immune system attacks its own organs, last year.

Martine hopes her campaign will force the Government to provide educational programmes on lupus, as well as recognising it as a significant health issue.

“Not many people know what lupus is,” said Martine, who quit full-time work to look after Serena and her younger sister, who has ME. “Even some doctors didn’t know what it was.

“They originally diagnosed her with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia.

“If I can get one million signatures, then the charity Lupus UK, which gets no funding from the Government, will get the recognition it deserves.

“Hopefully then other people with the condition can get the support they need.”

The disease causes Serena, who lives with her husband Stuart in Sutton, constant pain in joints and muscles all over her body.

Although she does not look ill, Martine said her daughter cannot currently work because she is not well enough. The condition even forced her to give up a place on a nursing course at Homerton School of Health Studies in Fulbourn.

“Some days she manages to do stuff and other days she doesn’t,” said Martine.

“She won’t go anywhere where there’s lots of people as a little bump is agony for her. You don’t realise how much you get bumped when you go shopping.

“And because she doesn’t look ill, she’s had a bit of a rough time.

“At one time, she thought she was going mad and asked me: ‘Is there anything wrong with me?’

“I want to make people aware that not everyone has to look ill to be ill.”

The petition will remain on the website for a year. If it collects more than 200 names, a response will be sent by Gordon Brown or another Government official.

Martine, who runs a business from home called Burwell Petsitters, plans to hold a stall once a month in Nemarket’s Guineas shopping centre giving shoppers information about lupus.

She is also hoping to carry out other fundraising activities to raise money for Lupus UK.

l Anyone wishing to sign the petition should visit www.petitions.pm.gov.uk, where they will be asked to register a name, address and email. For further information on systemic lupus, visit www.lupusuk.com.