Tell us how we can help – respiratory disease charity

THE island’s respiratory disease charity is looking to recruit more volunteers as it aims to raise awareness of what it can do to help people in the early stages of lung disease or diagnosis.

Rose Humphrey was a keen walker until her lungs were damaged due to radiotherapy, but now she has much of her independence back thanks to one of the state-of-the-art mini oxygen concentrators supplied by respiratory disease charity Lungevity. Pictured with her are Keith Budge, left, finance director at Oxygen Healthcare Services Ltd, which looks after the concentrators, and Dominic McCarthy, chairman of Lungevity Guernsey. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 27113994)

On the back of recently purchasing state-of-the-art portable mini oxygen concentrators to assist members who require their use to maintain an ordinary life, Lungevity, a locally-registered charity supporting those living with a respiratory illness, is keen to expand knowledge of its services.

Lungevity Guernsey chairman Dominic McCarthy said he felt relatively few people knew about the charity.

‘We are Guernsey’s only dedicated respiratory charity, providing support and care to people who suffer from all forms of respiratory illness,’ he said.

‘Unfortunately, those who are aware of us only really know about us because they are in advanced stages of lung disease or diagnosis, and there are many people we could help at an earlier stage if they knew more about what we do.

‘We’d love to share this information with the wider public.’

According to the World Health Organisation, respiratory diseases are the leading cause of death and disability in the world, with around 65m. people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and three million a year dying from it, making it the third leading cause of death worldwide.

The charity is in part a support group, established to help and support anybody in Guernsey who suffers from a respiratory-related illness, such as lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, together with their helpers and family.

It holds regular informal support meetings, usually at the Professor Shaw Community Centre in St Martin’s, assists people financially if required and has in the past paid for such things as support at home, as well as owning portable oxygen concentrators, held at Healthcare Oxygen Services, which are loaned out to people free of charge.

Rose Humphrey, who has damage to her lungs as a result of radiotherapy treatment for lung cancer, recently received one of the newly-acquired portable concentrator units from Lungevity and both she and her husband, Graham, are now involved with the group and are planning to join the committee.

Mrs Humphrey said the device had given her back much of her independence.

‘I used to be an avid walker before the damage,’ she said.

‘Being able to use this portable tank has given back a part of my life, I’m really grateful to the people who made me aware of this charity.

‘I’ve now been going to meetings since last summer and really enjoy meeting up with people and having a laugh. Initially I didn’t want to go but I’m so glad I did, I want more people to know the benefits of what this charity gives.’

. For more information or to get involved, visit www.lungevity.org.gg/ or for updates on events, visit www.facebook.com/lungevitygsy/.