Is it an emergency?
Posted on
in Ipswich and East Suffolk News
77-year-old Phil Gladwell from Suffolk (images below) who has lived with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for the last 20 years, has spoken for the first time on how he has successfully managed his condition to live a full and active life.
Ahead of World COPD Awareness Day on November 15 he hopes to raise awareness and encourage those living with COPD to make the best choices to stay well over the coming winter months, including taking up the offer of the pneumonia, flu and COVID vaccinations and staying active.
COPD is a preventable and treatable condition which causes breathlessness and a chronic cough. It is one of the leading causes of death worldwide with an estimated three million deaths each year. In the Suffolk and north east Essex area in 2022/23, 21,236 people were diagnosed as living with COPD and 413 people died in the same year due to the condition.
Phil says: “I was a smoker for 47 years of my life and from my teenage years I inhaled large volumes of grain dust due to my working in agriculture.
“With exposure to tobacco smoke and other toxic particles being one of the main risk factors for COPD, it was perhaps inevitable that I would eventually end up living with the condition.
“In 2004 I was diagnosed with COPD and have endured many illnesses since then including pneumonia, pseudomonas, lung cancer and tuberculosis. I spent 18 months on antibiotics to cure the TB. I now have severe emphysema and have to use oxygen if I am exerting myself.
“It took me a little while to fully recognise and adapt to the fact that I was living with COPD, but since doing so I was determined to do all that I could to live a happy and active life. I finally quit smoking in 2007.
“It was in the same year that I had my pneumococcal vaccination, which is available from the GP to those of any age living with COPD and helps protect against pneumonia. Prior to vaccination I had pneumonia more than once and can testify to how an unpleasant experience it was. I never want that experience again. Since the vaccination I have not contracted pneumonia.
“Ahead of the winter months I have also taken up the offer of the flu and COVID vaccinations and would encourage everyone with COPD to do the same.
“I want to do all I can to protect my health so that I can continue to do all the things I enjoy doing, such as cycling, which keeps me active. Over the last two years I have travelled over 3000 miles on my electric bicycle and I am determined to keep on going for many thousands of miles more.
“To anyone with COPD I say get all your vaccinations. I contracted COVID last year but it was a mild case and I fully recovered – I put that down to vaccination protection.
“I love my life and want to enjoy many more happy years.”
Visit www.sneewellbeing.org.uk for a useful factsheet on living with COPD