Emmerdale‘s Laura Norton has revealed it’s her ‘life’s mission’ to find a cure for Usher syndrome after her children were born with the condition.
During Wednesday’s emotional episode of ITVBe’s Drama Queens, the 40-year-old Emmerdale star discussed the diagnosis which has affected her children Jesse, three, and Ronnie, 18 months.
Usher syndrome is a rare inherited genetic disease that causes vision loss, hearing loss and, sometimes, balance issues. It is present from birth but can take years for symptoms to appear and is usually diagnosed in older children or teenagers.
aura and her fiancé Mark Jordon, 59, detailed the impact it had on their family as they met with two sisters – Laura, who has Usher syndrome and Hannah, who does not – to see if it had made their lives any different.
The soap star shared: ‘Throughout this last year we have dedicated every waking minute that I am not at my actual job that I get paid for, we are doing something to do with the charity [Cure Usher].’
She continued: ‘It isn’t just for our children now. We are doing this for a lot of other people I feel like it’s my life mission – I am not going to stop until we find a cure.’
Speaking to the sisters, Mark said: ‘I feel so blessed having spent that time with you. Especially us as parents. Watching you both together has been an absolute asset.’
Laura added: ‘That independence and the way you live your life. It melts the fear.’
Mark then continued: ‘It is something we are about to experience much further down the line but I don’t feel as anxious as a parent. It is just so normal.’
The group then settled in to watch an informative film the sisters had created for Cure Usher that saw them share memories using a sensory ball.
Laura broke down in tears at the clip, later confessing: ‘It is so powerful but I think the most important message in the film is that there is hope.
‘There is no cure for Usher Syndrome, until we find one together. There really could be.
‘That is probably the most beautiful thing about the film. Powerful, we just need to make sure we get it everywhere.’
