COPD Awareness Week Launch was an outstanding success

View some of the pictures from the Launch Night here.

The launch took place for the first ever COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) Awareness Week on Friday the 6th May 2011 at the T.F Royal Castlebar and after weeks of planning and several hundred phone calls to various Doctors and other medical staff, support groups from Sligo, Galway and Dun laoghaire joined many companies with an interest in COPD. The whole event was viewed as a great success by all who attended.
The awareness week which takes place from the 20th to 26th June 2011 will be a first in Ireland and the people of Mayo can be proud that this was instigated by the Mayo COPD Support Group which has only been formed for two years but due to the drive within the group it is already recognised to be leading the way in COPD Support Groups in lreland.

The launch was attended by over 200 people including Michael Ring TD and we had a letter from Enda Kenny apologising for not being able to attend but congratulating the Mayo group on taking the lead on setting up an awareness week". Colin Tubbs the Chairman of the Mayo COPD Support Group was very pleased and honoured to receive this letter and it was read out to all those present, as you will see from the pictures there were many other well-known supporters present.

During the evening speeches were made by Dr Tim McDonnell consultant respiratory physician of St. Vincent's Hospital and HSE, Dr Cyril Rooney respiratory Consultant Mayo General hospital and Colin Tubbs the chairman. The speeches covered many aspects of COPD including the need for and role of support groups, even with the speeches it was in such a way as to be informative but presented in a relaxed manner. Doctors, Nurses, physiotherapists, major drug companies and others associated with this respiratory disease came from all over Ireland to attend and it was a wonderful evening with entertainment from Sean Nos ar an tSionann (All Ireland Talent Show Finalists 2011).

There was a grand spread of refreshments and a wine reception to start, Colin Tubbs the chairman said seeing so many here and all so pleased with the event and seeing the benefits of holding it all has made the effort put into this event worthwhile. During his final address Colin gave thanks to all those who had assisted him and the Mayo group in making this event possible, especially to several drug companies who had contributed to the cost of the Awareness Week.
He also gave thanks to Dr Tim McDonnell for attending and to Dr Cyril Rooney without whose help Colin questions what we the sufferers would do as he is a credit to his profession with all the care in the world extended to his patients, and along with the wonderful nursing staff at the Mayo General help us time after time to get back into life after suffering an infection and breathing set back.
Colin said although he did not want to dwell on the personal side of things there were two very special people here tonight that deserve a special mention the first was his wife Lyn who had done so much running about and giving support to him in the final arrangements as he was in hospital for two weeks just prior to this evening and he was doing it from the hospital bed from time to time and Lyn did the runs between the
hospital and our office to ensure everything was just so, the second was Ursula Clarke Respiratory Nurse from Mayo General Hospital and our MC here tonight who works relentlessly in her role to give care to those like me who suffer with COPD, both were presented with bouquets of flowers which were presented by Michael Ring TD.

It was made very clear on the night that we have to get the message heard about COPD as it is fast becoming the third largest cause of death and believe it or not Ireland has 10,000 sufferers and it is estimated to be between 400 and 600 million World-wide.
With regard to the Awareness Week in June, there will be many events arranged across Ireland by Hospitals doing Spirometry tests, talks in schools on the dangers of smoking and pollution at work from dust and fumes and Support groups holding information and Pin Badge Days including several locations in Mayo, the aims of this week are detailed on the awareness week page of this website.

We would like to thank all for taking the time in reading this article and would ask them to please support as they always do any events they see on this the first COPD Awareness week.

"Alone we can do so little: Together we can make a difference"