New COPD support group is welcome addition to the area

A NEW support group for people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) was launched in the Fettercairn Community Centre on Monday morning.

The event featured a question-and-answer session with members of other COPD support groups, and healthcare workers including a physiotherapist, a clinical nursing specialist and a health promotion officer.

This gave attendees the opportunity to find out more about what joining a COPD support group entails, and how it could benefit them in managing the chronic condition.

Gentle exercise is a known tool for managing COPD, a disease which makes it hard to empty air out of your lungs and causes shortness of breath and tiredness.

Because of this, one of the features of the newly-established group will include 45 minutes of exercise tailored to the members’ abilities and led by a trained professional.

This was highlighted as being one of the benefits of joining the group during the Q&A session, and members of the COPD Support Group in Rua Red also shared their positive experiences.

Mary-Rose Cunningham, who works for the HSE as a self-management support coordinator for long-term health conditions, has helped to coordinate the establishment of the new group.

Commenting on how the launch went, Ms Cunningham told The Echo: “It went really well, everyone really enjoyed it.

“The group is a really welcome addition to the area, and everyone that went knows that it’ll be on every Monday from 10am to 11am in the community centre.”

People with COPD are welcome to attend the Fettercairn COPD Support Group in the butterfly room in the Fettercairn Community Centre every Monday morning from 10am to 11am

For more information, call 083 086 4118, email support@copd.ie or visit www.copd.ie.

The group is funded by the HSE and is being run in partnership with COPD Support Ireland, the National Clinical Programme Respiratory, and the South Dublin County Partnership.