A teenager has been warned that exercising could be deadly as he battles a condition that sees his ribcage growing inwards.
Jacob Brown, from Houghton-le-Spring, was an active teenager who dreamt of a career in the army, but his world turned upside-down when he was diagnosed with the condition, Pectus Excavatum, last year. The 14-year-old, who had originally been diagnosed with asthma, had been out on a run when he was left gasping for breath and experiencing unbearable chest pains.
Doctors found that Jacob's ribcage is growing inwards which has caused the sternum to sink into his chest, leaving just 3.5 inches between his sternum and spine. This is putting extreme levels of pressure on his internal organs, particularly his heart and lungs.
