CHARLES Michael Duke loves to entertain.

The 19-year-old actor from the New Forest is determined not to let his disability get in the way.

Now he is planning to use his talents to raise awareness of the life limiting condition he suffers from by busking his way around the UK.

Charles, who is currently treading the boards of Christchurch’s Regent Theatre as Sprout the Elf in A Christmas Spectacular, has cystic fibrosis, or CF – an inherited condition caused by a faulty gene that causes his lungs and digestive system to become clogged with thick mucus, making it difficult to breathe or digest food.

It results in chronic infections, inflammation of the lungs and countless hospital stays. There is currently no cure for cystic fibrosis.

“I try not to let my condition stop me from doing anything,” explains Charles, who has three sisters. “But obviously it does.

“I’ve spent quite a bit of time in hospital this year and even had to give up my job as an entertainer at a holiday park, as my lung function was too low and I just wasn’t well enough.

“That was the first time it had really stopped me doing anything and it made me realise it is not going to go away any time soon.”

On one of his admissions to hospital, doctors decided that it was vital that he gained weight and a feeding tube was inserted to help with this. Charles used his love of acting to help him with his recovery.

“I named him [the tube] Buttons,” says Charles, from Hordle. “After my first principle role in a pantomime – and he has saved my life. My weight has increased and my lung function has improved!”

Determined not to let the disease beat him, despite spending more than three months in hospital over five stays this year alone, Charles has been raising awareness of the strawfie campaign – whereby people breathe through a straw while holding their nose for 30 seconds to help them understand what it feels like for people with the disease to breathe every day and then make a donation to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust by texting ‘BWCF64 £ (amount)’ to 70070.

But Charles – who is undergoing assessment for the lung transplant he will need at some point in the future – wanted to do more.

He wrote a song called ‘I’ve got cystic fibrosis’ – about the daily struggles that people with CF face and uploaded it to YouTube, where it has had more than 15,000 views. And then decided that to celebrate the Cystic Fibrosis Trust’s 51st birthday in 2015 and raise awareness of the debilitating disease he suffers from – he would busk in 51 towns and cities on 51 different days.

“It just seemed like a good idea,” he says.

“I’ve set a target of trying to raise £1,000 for the Trust, of course I am hoping to raise more but hopefully this way I won’t feel so overwhelmed by it all.

“Compete Production Solutions have loaned me an amazing PA system, for which I am very grateful, so not only can I busk, but I can do open mic nights along the way too.

“I am a little worried I may go all the way to Scotland and only end up raising £20 though.”

To find out more about Charles’ campaign or to donate to his challenge, please visit: justgiving.com/ CharlesMichaelCF or follow him Facebook: facebook.com/ CharlesMichaelDuke?fref=ts