New Enniscorthy support service to provide doctor, physiotherapist and nurse at hub meetings
Wexford people with COPD are being urged by COPD Support Ireland to “Step Up and Step Out” this World COPD Day on Wednesday and take part in a virtual COPD exercise masterclass.
Dr Colm Quigley is clinical lead with Wexford's COPD support service. He said a full suite of supports are available, including a support service in Wexford based in Clonard and an upcoming hub in Enniscorthy.
“COPD is the third commonest cause of death after heart disease and cancer in Ireland. It gives a large burden of symptoms for patients with it, including shortness of breath, coughing and phlegm production,” said Dr Quigley.
Apart from patients’ infections being treated and the regular use of inhalers, one of the best ways for sufferers to improve their quality of life is through exercise.
To this end, the online event, which will be streamed live on the day at www.copd.ie, will feature exercise coaching, physical activity challenges, and presentations from experts with lots of tips on how to stay active. It is taking place from 12 midday to 2 p.m. as part of the World COPD Day Big Baton Pass, which sees Ireland among ten countries from around the globe taking part in a live broadcast to mark the day.
As part of the occasion, people with COPD and their supporters are also being encouraged to take part in the COPD Step Challenge. Those interested are asked to register their challenge, choose an activity – for example, walking, stair-climbing, running, even dancing – and set a target number of steps, individually or as part of a group.
The overarching aim is to register a total of 380,000 steps, or one step for every person thought to have COPD in Ireland. To take part in the COPD Step Challenge, and receive a challenge pack of tee shirt, pedometer, and water bottle, visit www.copd.ie.
Dr Quigley said: “The main aim of Wednesday is to make people aware how they can help themselves."
COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, is perhaps more commonly known as chronic bronchitis or emphysema.
It arises where there is airflow obstruction in the airways of the lungs leading to shortness of breath. Smoking accounts for the majority of cases. However, it can also arise from being in an environment where there is exposure to smoke, dust or fumes, or where a person is living with an existing condition such as chronic asthma, or has a family history of certain lung-related illnesses.
Latest figures from the National Healthcare Quality Reporting System 2021/2022 estimate that there are 380,000 people living with COPD in Ireland, yet less than a third of these have been formally diagnosed. Unfortunately, at least 1,500 people die here each year of COPD, while over 15,000 people are admitted to hospital with the disease.
The Enniscorthy COPD group has its first exercise group session on Tuesday, November 28, from 11.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. at the Astro Actve Centre. All COPD sufferers from across Co Wexford are invited to come along.
Dr Quigley said: “Not only are there exercise classes but it is a social support and peer group. People can support each other to get through the exercises. There is also a new integrated care programme in Wexford which is out in the community with enhanced community care and a physiotherapist has been appointed to set it up. We have a team of nurses and physiotherapists in the hospital to help people with supported discharge and provide pulmonary rehabilitation support for the patient and that is being integrated into the Enniscorthy hub.”
A nurse specialist, Angela Mernagh, will work with a physiotherapist and doctor at the hub sessions to enable patients suffering with COPD is get support closer to their home in the Enniscorthy area.
“There is already a similar one which has been run from a meeting room in Clonard, Wexford town. Anyone who wants to join that group can do so on the COPD Ireland website. It’s likely that the service will also be extended to Gorey and New Ross."
Dr Quigley said helping people to quit smoking is a key part of recovery, adding that this includes vaping.
“We are more and more concerned with the effects of vaping. It does seem to be causing lung damage. We don’t now what effect vaping has long term, but worldwide there is major concern about the impact of vaping on health.”
He said it is never too late to give up smoking, adding that there ids a direct correlation to improved quality of life.
"During Covid people became more socially isolated and more breathless. Patients who are breathless with COPD who exercise less because they have the condition and they don’t want to become breathless, their condition can deteriorate. We want to break that cycle through routine exercise methods.
"If you are 35 and experience shortness of breath and if you are smoking and your cough is getting worse, you could have COPD and there are other lung conditions also. We'd advise you to seek the advice of a GP and you can be put you on the road towards stopping smoking and exercising more.”
Wexford GPs will soon be able to carry out even more accurate testing on lung illnesses with a new pulmonary function service starting in Wexford town in early 2024.
“A lot of GPs can do a breathing test which gives useful information to help decide if someone has COPD.”
