Campaign aims to highlight Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

For 40 years, Angela Shakil smoked 40 cigarettes a day. She was “fit as a fiddle” until she contracted bronchitis which she could not shift. After being diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) her life has changed dramatically.

COPD is the fourth most common cause of death in Ireland after lung cancer, heart disease and stroke. In fact, Ireland has amongst the highest rates of death from COPD in Europe with almost 2,000 people dying from the disease last year in 2014.

For 56-year-old Angela Shakil from Bray, being diagnosed last May after years of perfect health left her “devastated”. Her life has gone from being one where she was “full of energy” to one where the most basic tasks like carrying shopping, making a bed and even a gentle walk leave her exhausted.