Cliffsend mum-of-one Kelly Wells struggles to do many things that most other 30-year-olds can.
A walk along the road leaves Kelly so breathless she feels as though she has ‘run a marathon’ and partying with friends is not a possibility.
When Kelly was 25 she suffered a series of pneumonia bouts, swine flu and then a serious chest infection that wasn’t treated correctly.
This left her with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) which is a series of lung conditions. with emphysema and asthma.
But Kelly, who is at stage 2 of 4 for COPD, says she is determined to make a difference while she can and will be undergoing a headshave to raise money for the British Lung Foundation.
The mum to nine-year-old Jai said: “I was diagnosed five years ago. It affects my breathing. The majority of the time I am lucky if I can walk to the bottom of the road and back without feeling like I have run a marathon.
“Everything consumes energy. I was one of the youngest people in the area to be diagnosed with COPD and it was scary. It was shocking to take it in and realise how your life is not going to be the same, or even be as long as you thought it would be. I can’t party with friends, I can’t be spontaneous, I can’t do many of the things young women do.”
The reason for the fundraising headshave is two fold – the British Lung Foundation cared for Kelly’s father-in-law Dennis who recently dies aged 72 and will also be there for Kelly as her disease progresses.
She said: “This foundation is the only UK lung foundation so it really does rely on donations and fundraising. My father in law had stage four copd and recently passed away so this is also in honour to him.
“Dennis was an incredible man, dad to Taz and grandad and this is my way to remember him and make him proud.
“I want to raise as much as I can as one day I won’t be able to and I also want to do it thank them for keeping my father in law comfortable at the end.
“I want to do something while I can for those that, when I get to stage 4, will either be keeping me comfortable or saving my life with a lung transplant
“Even if a transplant match is found there are no guarantees. My body might reject it and I could end up on a life-support machine.
“It is a horrible condition, there is no ‘get well soon,’ it’s a killer.”
Kelly’s Breath of Fresh hAir fundraiser will take place on Saturday, October 31. She has a target of £1,000.
Find the fundraising page here
There will also be a raffle, find the event page here
For more information about the British Lung Foundation click here
I too was told I had COPD, caused by swimming a mile every other day for over 20 years! I stopped swimming but then after over 3 years I started to cough up blood I was referred to a Respiratory Consultant, that took over 4 months! I received a letter from my GP asking me to make an appointment with the COPD nurse, because the Consultant had suggested a different inhaler to the ones I had been using. When the COPD nurse went off to get one of the new inhalers, I sneaked a look at her computer screen, and was horrified to see an email from the Consultant to my GP dated 6 weeks earlier, informing him I had Emphysema, and Pulmonary Fibrosis!!!!
These are life threatening lung diseases, and when the COPD nursed returned I asked her for a copy of the email, and she asked my why I wanted it? I said I think I am entitled to know what lung diseases I have, and she reluctantly printed off a copy. Long story very short, I complained to the GP’s surgery, about NOT being informed what lung diseases I had, and was told by the Practice Manager they didn’t have the staff to ask patients in to have their diagnosis explained to them, Duuurh!
I made further complaints, one in person to the GP, who grew very disturbed when I said he had no right to NOT explain Consultants diagnosis to patients, and he de-registered me from the practice! The NICE have now changed their recommendations about COPD, after I complained to them, and other medical agencies, and they now say anyone presenting with a persistent cough, and breathlessness, must be referred to a Consultant for tests, to ascertain what lung disease is present! So you see, COPD does not exist, until after someone has been properly tested by a Consultant, then they must be told what lung disease they have, and not just told as I was you have COPD, take these inhalers!
I am in contact with the British Lung Foundation because they are still referring to lung disease as COPD, when it should more properly be called Chronic Obstructive Lung Condition, COPC once proper diagnosis has been established to identify the lung disease! I have some evidence that GP’s are NOT carrying out NICE’s recommendation, and many people are just being told, Oh, you have COPD and are being sent away with an inhaler, without proper investigation!
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