‘Living with COPD’ event
By Aideen O'Flaherty
AN informative event about living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) was held in Rua Red in Tallaght last Wednesday to mark World COPD Day.
The Tallaght COPD Support Group, which is based in Rua Red and is this year’s Echo charity partner for their annual static cycle fundraiser, hosted the event, which featured a talk and a Q&A session with respiratory specialist Dr John Cullen from Tallaght University Hospital.
Carol Muldoon, Tisha Swartz, Nicky Coules, Dr John Cullen, Mary Ó Buachalla and Paddy Grimes
Carol Muldoon, secretary of the Tallaght COPD Support Group, told The Echo: “It went really well. Dr Cullen is from Tallaght Hospital so a lot of us already knew him.
“He’s very approachable and down to earth. He did a question and answer session and told us about a new inhaler for people with COPD.”
The support group is an outlet for people with COPD, a condition which makes it hard for sufferers to empty air out of their lungs and clear phlegm, causes shortness of breath and tiredness, and can have a detrimental impact on the quality of life of those who live with the condition.
The group takes part in gentle exercise, which helps sufferers to manage the condition, and the World COPD Day event in Rua Red also included a yoga class led by Emma Stafford for people with the condition.
People attending the COPD event in Rua Red
Highlighting the importance of recognising World COPD Day, Ms Muldoon said: “I think it’s important because it gets the word out there about COPD.”
The Tallaght COPD Support Group meets in the Rua Red cafe every Thursday from 10.30am to midday, while The Echo’s fundraising event for the group will take place in The Square on Thursday, December 5.
The Echo team have set up a go fund me page for the fundraising event in aid of of the Tallaght COPD Support Group, click HERE to donate.
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