Gardener backs campaign to raise awareness of rare lung disease
A SHEPSHED gardener who underwent major surgery for a rare lung disease is backing a national awareness week to help more people understand his condition.
Richard Kitchener, 52, lives on Ring Fence and was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension (PH) in January. The disease, which affects just 7000 people in the UK, causes high pressure in the blood vessels connecting the heart and lungs.
Richard lives with a type of PH called chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), caused by a build-up of blood clots in the pulmonary arteries. He had a life-saving operation to remove them in September.
PH Awareness Week takes place this week (November 4-10) and has been organised by the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA UK), a national charity that supports those with the condition.
Richard said: “I was experiencing severe breathlessness, the main symptom of PH, for a year - but the doctors kept putting it down to hay fever or asthma. It got to the point where I could barely walk, and I was literally at death’s door. I had never heard of pulmonary hypertension when I was eventually diagnosed, and I want to raise awareness as the symptoms can so easily be misdiagnosed as something else.”
As well as breathlessness, other symptoms of PH can include dizziness, fatigue, blackouts and swelling around the ankles, arms and stomach. Coughing can also be a symptom of CTEPH.
Richard had specialist surgery, known as a pulmonary endarterectomy, at Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge on September 25. Involving a heart-lung bypass machine, the clots were cleared from his lungs and to help prevent them returning, he must take blood thinners for the rest of his life.
Richard, who runs Richard Kitchener Gardening Services, is now hoping to be back working in early 2020.
He added: “I know not everyone is so lucky but I’m recovering well, and I feel like I’ve been transformed. It’s been quite a year, but I’m now looking to the future.”
PH Week aims to raise awareness of pulmonary hypertension and promote understanding of ‘invisible’ illnesses.
Iain Armstrong, Chair of the PHA UK, said: “Pulmonary hypertension is an extremely serious condition that has a huge impact on people’s lives. You often can’t tell someone has PH just by looking at them - so encouraging understanding of this rare, devastating condition is vital.”
To find out more about pulmonary hypertension or get involved with PH Awareness Week visit www. phauk.org. Search #PHWeek19 and #TogetherForPH on social media.