AN UPPERMILL woman has become the face of a national charity campaign after they helped her overcome a mystery illness of 20 years.
Denise Elvery suffered from a terrible cough for just over two decades before finally being diagnosed in February 2017 with bronchiectasis.
Distraught to be told the lung condition is progressive and would only get worse, she says she was sent home from a local hospital with just an inhaler to help.
Panicked by the thought of losing her new job at Dwyers Solicitors in Ashton and also her home if she couldn’t pay the mortgage, Denise’s mental health began to suffer too.
Fortunately, research online with her daughter Aimee Hamilton led her to the British Lung Foundation, which has helped turn her life around.
Now, Denise is fronting their Christmas appeal to raise £38,500 so they can expand their team and help more people.
Denise explained: “Last year alone over 3,500 calls went unanswered to the BLF helpline. That’s thousands of people who aren’t getting the urgent advice and support they need to live well with their lung disease.
“It breaks my heart to think of them struggling alone. Your gift can help change this. It costs the BLF helpline just £11 to answer just one call so every donation will help.
“You cannot put money on what they have done for me. Without them I do not know what I would have done because I was getting so desperate.”
THE BLF visited Denise and Aimee in Saddleworth to film a campaign video for their website and put together a letter which will be posted and emailed out to 40,000 people.
“It was a really surreal experience,” said Denise. “I am just so pleased to be able to do something to help other people in the same situation as I was.
“The BLF is a mine of information. I have had the support to help me but a lot of people are still struggling.”
Now Denise’s condition is managed with chest physiotherapy exercises, a nebuliser and support from the North West Lung Centre.
And after a great improvement in her health, she is even planning to celebrate her upcoming 60th birthday by taking on a 10k challenge or even a skydive!
“I don’t know what I would have done without the BLF,” said Denise. “Saddleworth Medical Practice have also been brilliant, as have my employers Dwyers.
“Previously, people would move away from me on the bus and I’ve been sworn at on the train. Now I can more or less manage a bus journey to work now without coughing!”
Statistics from the BLF show that about 10,000 people in the UK are newly diagnosed with a lung disease each week while someone dies from lung disease every five minutes.
Call their helpline to get advice and support for a condition, or to make a donation: 03000 030 555 (open Monday to Friday from 9am-5pm). You can also find out more online: www.blf.org.uk
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