A new self-help group starts from Thursday 24th October 2024.
Its the Launceston Breathers Group, which will meet Thursday 24th October @ 1pm, at the Launceston Health Hub, on 8 Exeter Street, Launceston.
All welcome to find out more on COPD and related conditions, and ways that you can help to manage your condition.
Cornwall Breathers have successfully fundraised to provide a defibrillator on the site of Liskerrett Community Centre, Liskeard in memory of one of our founding trustees, Michael Elliott who sadly passed away in May 2023.
Local electrician Mark Green gave his time to install it on RestartAHeartDay October 2023.
Cornwall Breathers have been awarded a £5,000 grant from VCSE Health Improvement Fund managed by Cornwall Community Foundation. The funding has been awarded to set up five new self-help expert patient groups for COPD patients throughout the County of Cornwall. The groups will aim to educate their members about their condition and offer practical solutions including suitable exercise to help them manage their conditions in a supportive group environment. An initial period of intensive support will be followed up by regular networking and support from similar self-help groups already running in the County.
Groups are starting at St Austell, Launceston, and Looe, with two more to follow soon.
The funding also supports members from Cornwall Breathers going in to schools across the county to talk to young people about the dangers of smoking and vaping.
Thanks to donations from Liskeard Breathers Group, Trowbridge Estate and Lettings, Liskeard and fundraising collections at Morrisons, Liskeard, Cornwall Breathers have provided four television sets for Honeyford Ward, Derriford Hospital. Honeyford Ward is a COPD ward serving patients including from South East Cornwall.
Mick was one of the founder members of Liskeard Breathers Group and trustee of Cornwall Breathers which he started with his friend and colleague Joe Barr.
Mick has spoken to over 30,000 young people to educate them about the risks of smoking, and also shared his stories about being a patient and living with COPD with many third year nurses and health professionals at Plymouth University over a ten year period.
Mick liked people and people liked him for his outgoing personality. He made friends quickly and would always be there to help and listen to others and give advice to anyone in need.
Mick was a good friend to many, and will be missed.
Copies of our new leaflet ‘The Facts About COPD & A Better Quality of Life’ are becoming available at GP practices across Cornwall over the next few weeks.
If you are from a GP practice and would like to have a supply of leaflets please let us know by emailing: cornwallbreathers@gmail.com
Printing costs have been sponsored by Ugalde & Son, Liskeard.
Jade Norsworthy, a health professional at Derriford Hospital, ran in the Plymouth Half-Marathon to raise funds on behalf of Cornwall Breathers. She raised £245 of her £250 target!
Thanks Jade! That’s great news! The money will help us expand work as a resource and communications channel for patients, carers and health professionals.
If you would still like to support Jade’s effort, here is the link:
BBC News has reported that Vapes confiscated from school pupils at a college in Kidderminster were found to contain high levels of lead, nickel and chromium.
The amounts of the metals found were:
Also found were carbonyls – which break down, when the e-liquid heats up, into chemicals such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, also found in cigarette smoke – at 10 times the level in legal vapes.
Lead is a neurotoxin and impairs brain development, chrome and nickel are allergens and metal particles in general in the bloodstream can trigger blood clotting and can exacerbate cardiovascular disease. Carbonyls are mildly carcinogenic and with sustained use will increase the risk of cancer
The full BBC report is here: BBC News
Jade Norsworthy, a health professional at Derriford Hospital, is running in the Plymouth Half-Marathon, to raise funds on behalf of Cornwall Breathers.
If you would like to support her, here is the link:
You can now help Cornwall Breathers achieve its aims by making a donation to the charity using the ‘Donate’ button on the main menu and the sidebar of this website.
If you want to fundraise for Cornwall Breathers – maybe a sponsored run, tea party, a sky-dive – whatever is your thing – we are registered with GoFundMe.
All you need to do is set up a GoFundMe fundraising page and then start spreading the word. Share your fundraising challenge on social media – don’t forget to tag us so we can share it too! Ask friends, family and colleagues to donate and check if your employer offers match funding.
Any money you raise would go towards funding what we do, providing a resource and communications channel for patients, carers and health professionals.
