International cycling tour to raise awareness for COPD reaches Galway
Ireland's former professional cycling champion Sean Kelly and Italy's Claudio Chiappucci are in Galway for the last leg of an international tour to raise awareness of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Over 400,000 people are affected by the respiratory condition in Ireland.
The cyclists joined Frenchman Philippe Poncet, who led the final stage of the tour with a portable oxygen device.
From the Claddagh area in Galway City to Letterfrack in Conemara - this is no ordinary bike ride.
It is a long and challenging 85km for elite cyclists.
However, the man leading the team, Mr Poncet, is quite possibly the only COPD patient capable of cycling these distances.
He is a world record holder for cycling speeds despite being diagnosed with stage 4 COPD in 2008.
Mr Poncet needs oxygen 24/7 as his lungs operate at only 30% capacity. He will be stopping off along the route to replenish supplies.
He said: "At this level, people don't look very well because many are dying or at the hospital or just in the armchair, right?
"So this is an obstruction and destruction of the respiratory system.
"So it's like you're underwater, and you try to breathe. It's not possible. But I want to raise awareness of the condition and help people who live with this disease.
"To be able to cycle in the mountains is my greatest pleasure. It's what pushes me to move beyond COPD physically and mentally."
Mr Poncet's remarkable story prompted former Irish champion cyclist Sean Kelly to support the COPD awareness campaign
He said: "Well, it's hard to believe. Philippe is an amazing man. When they told me you know, how it'll worked, that somebody would accompany him on an 85km cycle through Conemara with his oxygen tank beside him.
"It's just an amazing achievement to be able to do that. So yeah, that's part of the reason why I'm here, just to get involved and highlight COPD and give other sufferers encouragement and hope."
COPD is the name given to a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
It is the third leading cause of death globally and affects more than 400,000 people in Ireland.
Mr Poncet was supported on his journey with respiratory assistance. Two pulmonary professors, Sean Gaine and Michael McWeeney also cycled with him.
Mr Gaine said: "Philippe is a remarkable man. He has very advanced COPD, and he's going to cycle today on oxygen, about 15 litres of oxygen per minute, so it's a huge endeavor.
"It's difficult and it's fraught as well. But he's done this before to highlight that even if you have a chronic disease, you can you can do more because exercise is an important part of the treatment plan.
"So if you're well, you need exercise. But if you're not well, exercise is important as well. You can do enormous things to keep your resilience and keep you strong."
Professor McWeeney agrees, saying: "It's so motivational for him to be doing this. It's inspirational for the rest of us, even those that are healthy because this is a significant event, and for him to do it with the limitation that he feels every minute, it's wonderful for patients to see that it's possible for them to get out and be able to do something like this.
"I mean the benefits they get from the perspective of their lungs and the rehabilitation that it offers is huge, and it's great to see it showcased here in the Galway."
The COPD Tour is endorsed by the UCI World Cycling Centre and supported by Cycling Ireland.
President of Cycling Ireland Ciaran Cannon said: "It's a really strong message, that we should all listen to. He has proven conclusively that you can exercise through your illness, and that exercise actually has a therapeutic benefit accruing to you, while you are ill.
"This is the message we consistently give to our 26,000 members of cycling Ireland, across the country.
"Exercise is for all ages. Exercise is a hugely preventative measure that one can take to avoid becoming ill later in life. So it's a therapy. It's free.
"All it requires is that you pick up your bike on a Saturday morning or Sunday morning and you head off with a few friends. Do 10 kilometers, do 100 kilometers. That's up to you.
"But all of that brings you a benefit throughout life and I suppose that that's the real message that Philippe is giving us here today."
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