Around 500 people in Tipperary are hospitalised every year because of COPD.
Today is World COPD Day, the aim of which is to increase awareness about the condition, which affects breathing and also start clinical conversations about what patients need.
Consultant Respiratory physician and Chair of COPD Ireland, Professor Tim McDonnell spoke to Tipp FM about how this day heightens awareness of COPD.
“Recognition of COPD has improved a lot, over five to ten years ago.
“If I was on your programme ten years ago, there would have been a lot of trying to explain what COPD was and people wouldn’t have heard of it.
“I think people have heard of it now and obviously some of the details are still a bit obscure.
“Increasing awareness and as I mentioned, the HSE now realises, because of increasing awareness, that pulmonary rehabilitation is so important and trying to provide – that’s again because of increasing awareness.”
Mary Galvin from Nenagh also spoke on Tipp FM about her own diagnosis 14 or 15 years ago and she told him that she gave up smoking 17 years ago, but that ‘the damage was already done’.
She spoke about her own experiences and how difficult it has been.
There is a free advice line people can call on 1800 832146 to talk to a nurse or physiotherapist and more information is available on www.copd.ie.
