COPD support group to host information event

TO mark World COPD Day 2019, COPD Support Ireland’s Bray Support Group is to host an Information Point at Tesco on Vevay Road on Wednesday, November 20, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, is a lung condition that makes it hard for people to breathe due to obstruction of the airways and incorporates two well-known conditions – emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

COPD Support Ireland is the national umbrella body for COPD support groups nationwide and works to raise awareness of the condition, to advocate on behalf of patients and their families, to enable peer support and self-management, and to support research and educational initiatives.

Representatives from the Bray Support Group will be on hand to provide information on the condition and general health and well-being advice, as well as point to the resources available locally, including peer support meetings, information talks and exercise programmes.

Smoking is the most common cause of COPD but prolonged exposure to environmental toxins, fumes and dust, is also a risk factor. Between 2016 and 2018, 883 people from Wicklow were hospitalised due to COPD.

People who have questions about how best to manage COPD, and who wish to speak to a specialist respiratory nurse for information and advice, can telephone the national COPD Advice Line on 1800 83 21 46. This is a call-back service and an appointment will be made for a nurse to return the call at a convenient time. The line is open Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.