Eileen Flynn (Independent)

I am following on from Senator Nelson Murray's comments on COPD. I was diagnosed with COPD when I was 28 years of age. As I was a member of the Traveller community, it took me at least six months to a year to be diagnosed with COPD. I remember meeting a consultant in Sligo University Hospital named Dr. Katherine Finan. She was one of the nicest doctors you could ever meet. I remember saying to her to add 12 years to 28 years. She did that. She tested me for COPD and asthma, and I was diagnosed with it. I know what it is like to walk with a heavy chest and to be out of breath every day. Last night, we were on the "The Late Debate". I must have had three bottles of water trying to catch my breath. I know the importance of services for people with COPD. One of my best friends worked in the service going back many years. He set it up and some of the community events around COPD. It is important that we talk about and invest in it, because like Senator Nelson Murray, my mother also had COPD and passed away at 48 years of age. I have now got lung failure. I have never spoken about it before. For me, every single day is a struggle with my lungs. As a young woman of 36 years of age, I do not know how long I have with my kids, but I do know that for women and men like me, we need the best services we can have for people with chronic lung disease. I would not just ask the Leader to deliver a message. My request today is that we have a debate on asthma and COPD and that services really be invested in. Even now, I am a bit short of breath. Numerous times, the Cathaoirleach has given me a chance to get my breath in here. I thank Senator Nelson Murray for bringing this up this morning. It is something that is not easy to speak about and people can be judged because of it. Again, it is a debate we should have around investing in lung and heart services in our country.