PEOPLE with chest and breathing problems are being urged not to suffer in silence by joining a new group.

There are nearly 3,500 people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in Blackburn with Darwen and 8,000 in the East Lancashire NHS area, covering Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, the Ribble Valley and Rossendale.

But health experts believe there could be thousands of people unaware that their symptoms, such as a persistent cough, breathlessness, wheezing or recurrent chest infections, are caused by COPD.

The disease leads to damaged airways in the lungs, which causes them to become narrower and makes it harder for air to get in and out of the lungs.

If caught early it can be easily treated and managed, but it currently kills more women than breast cancer and more men than prostate cancer.

From 2005 to 2007 deaths from COPD in Blackburn with Darwen were much higher than the rest of the country, with a mortality rate of 43.1 deaths per 100,000 people compared to a national rate of 27.

COPD patients in the borough want to address this problem, and have set up a support group known as Breathe Easy, with help from the national charity the British Lung Foundation.

They are looking for volunteers to form the committee of the new group, which meets on the last Thursday of every month from noon to 1pm at Mill Hill Community Centre, New Chapel Street.

Members share experiences and advice on how to manage their conditions, invite expert guest speakers to attend meetings and can arrange tailored exercise sessions to people fight their condition.

They are assisted by practictioners from NHS Blackburn with Darwen’s Pulmonary Rehabilitation programme.

Anyone interested in finding out more should call 01254 584536 between 8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.

Case study

“ANY exertion is hard. If I try and walk too fast or get anywhere too quickly I'm in pain. I feel my chest tighten like a fist.”

Robert Sharp has suffered from breathing problems for several years.

Mr Sharp, 68, of Bell Vue Street, Blackburn, believes pushing his body too hard when he was younger was the main reason behind his condition.

The former lorry driver said: “I was a smoker and I worked long shifts, which I don’t think helped my health.

“But you don’t have to be a smoker or work long shifts to get COPD. Anybody can get it.”

After attending courses recommended by his doctor, the pensioner now takes part in exercise classes run by NHS Blackburn with Darwen at Regency Gym in Darwen Vale.

And he hopes to become one of the founder members of the Breathe Easy group, so he can continue to learn about how to manage his condition and help others.

He said: “What is important about this service is that you're here with people who are in the same boat. You can relax because you're in the company of people who are going through the same thing.

“Maybe some have it worse, some not as bad, but we were all scattered all over and this has brought us together.”