Anne hosted delightful garden party for a cause close to her heart, the Lung Fibrosis Association 

A HUGELY successful garden party to raise much needed awareness and funds for the Irish Lung Fibrosis Association was held last week.

Anne Oglesby, from Pollerton Little, Carlow, who is living with the pulmonary fibrosis condition for almost five years, feels so strongly about highlighting the disease that she hopes to form a support group in Carlow.

The 76-year-old explained that the condition is “often diagnosed incorrectly as Chronic Ostructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) so the funding of current and more research is really needed. There are also times that the condition goes undiagnosed.” She added: “I lead a good life as I have full-time oxygen, and I do the best to suck the juice out of my life. Water aerobics and exercise is important to help with this condition also.

“I also take part in online lectures about dealing with pulmonary fibrosis through the association so I would like others to know about that too. This is a journey for me and for others with this condition, so I really want to help others too,” she continued.

September is Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF) Awareness Month, a global campaign to raise public understanding of the disease, its symptoms, and the importance of early diagnosis and support for patients.

A serious condition, pulmonary fibrosis is a group of lung diseases that cause progressive, irreversible scarring (fibrosis) in the lungs. There is an impact on breathing as scarring thickens the lung tissue, making it difficult to breathe and leading to a persistent cough.

Anne’s party went so well that more than €1,000 was raised, a large number of people attended with entertainment provided free-of-charge by a ukulele band and a bagpipe player while food was provided by Crotty’s Bakery.

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