Clwyd West Assembly Member Darren Millar is helping to raise awareness of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Lung (COPD) Disease after attending an event this week to mark COPD Day.
World COPD Day was set up to raise awareness for COPD and to improve care for sufferers all over the planet.
The day was first held in 2002 and every year over 50 countries worldwide take part in activities to raise awareness.
To mark COPD Day 2019, Darren attended a British Lung Foundation event in the Pierhead in Cardiff Bay on Wednesday at which the current care and programmes available for patients were discussed and quality improvements for care in Wales highlighted.
There were also exhibitors and stands showcasing supportive services for people with COPD at the event.
Darren said:
“I am glad to report that my lungs received a clean bill of health at the event, but unfortunately not everyone is so fortunate.
“Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, describes a group of lung conditions that make it difficult to empty air out of the lungs because the airways have become narrowed. It's a progressive condition, which means there is currently no cure and everyday tasks can become a challenge.
“Symptoms include: getting short of breath easily when you do everyday things such as going for a walk or doing housework; having a cough that lasts a long time; wheezing in cold weather, and producing more sputum or phlegm than usual
“You might get these symptoms all the time, or they might appear or get worse when you have an infection or breathe in smoke or fumes.
“If you have COPD that has a severe impact on your breathing, you can lose your appetite, lose weight and find that your ankles swell.
“I would urge anyone who is suffering from any of these symptoms to visit their GP”.
For further information on CPOD visit: https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/copd/what-is-copd