AGM

At the AGM on October 8th 2008, the Breathe Easy Canterbury and District group said a sad farewell to Mollie Jackson who is standing down as Chair, having held the position since the group began in 2003. Mollie has been responsible for starting and building up the group since its launch and has been a constant inspiration and charismatic presence. She is leaving the Specialist Respiratory Team based at the Whitstable and Tankerton Hospital, to take up an important post at the British Lung Foundation as Nurse Programme Manager.

Although we are very proud of her, we will miss Mollie enormously but we are very pleased to welcome Karen Cotter as our new Chair. Karen works as secretary to the Specialist Respiratory Team and has also been associated with the Breathe Easy group since its inception so she is a very fitting replacement for Mollie.

Following Secretary Rosemary Barden and Treasurer Carol Hakimian’s annual reports, and election of officers, the group relaxed with a bingo session.

September 2008

September’s meeting continued the theme of managing breathlessness with Dr. Sharief from the International Art of Living Foundation telling us about the course the Foundation runs about breath and breathing. Dr. Sharief described how emotions are closely linked to breathing and how breathing changes, for instance, if we are angry. She believes that we can breathe out the toxins that cause disease and showed us one of the exercises included in this course, the ‘bellows breath’ which we all tried to much laughter.

The foundation’s courses use breathing techniques to help deal with negative emotions such as stress and anger, and to create energy so often lacking in people with COPD. Another important aspect of these breathing techniques, says Dr. Sharief, is their ability to treat depression, which many COPD patients suffer from. Dr. Sharief is hoping to run a course in Whitstable in the near future.

August 2008

Siobhan Philpott and Victoria Pike, specialist physiotherapists from the East Kent Respiratory Team gave an excellent presentation on Managing Breathlessness and the benefits of exercise. They showed us many ways to help bring breathlessness under control. For those who missed the talk the team have a booklet available with photos of all the positions they showed us.

The presentation also gave tips on how to avoid panic attacks which fear of suffocation often brings on. The group took full advantage of the opportunity to ask questions and share concerns, one reason, of course, why the group’s existence is important to so many lung disease patients.

Stawberry Tea

Vast amounts of fresh strawberries, home made scones and cream were consumed at Carol's. Due to incessant rainfall the venue had to be moved into the house this year with twenty two people squeezed into three different rooms it managed to be both cosy and festive.

Spirits remained high in spite of the weather but the group was sad to note the loss of members who were present at last year’s tea – Ray Allard, Jim Taylor and very recently Terry Gaiger (whose family and friends were a large part of this year’s quiz night).

We had a number of visitors though namely, Hannah Tucker, the British Lung Foundation’s south-east region development officer, two members of the Thanet Breathe Easy group, and Daniel and Julie Kelly who are hoping to set up a new Breathe Easy support group in New Romney.

Strawberry Tea Photos

Aloe Vera

On June 11th, aloe vera enthusiast Charlotte Reynolds came to speak to the group about the plant’s healing and health-giving properties. Representing the Forever Living Products company, she demonstrated aloe vera products, providing samples of various aloe vera juices for members to taste, and giving a good deal of anecdotal evidence as to their efficacy. Charlotte herself has found them helpful in reversing her own ill health and providing a renewal of energy.

Nicknamed the “burns plant”, aloe vera has a long history of medical use for healing purposes. It was first mentioned in a papyrus dated 1552BC; Cleopatra is said to have used it in her beauty regime and Mahatma Ghandi reputedly drank the aloe vera gel which is present inside the leaves during his fasting.

Having no resistance to frost, aloe vera is mostly grown overseas, though it is beginning to be grown here in polytunnels. A Breathe Easy member had grown her own indoors and had used the gel direct from the plant for healing cuts and burns. Members were particularly interested to hear Charlotte’s assertion that aloe vera can improve breathing by soothing the surfaces of bronchial membranes, and reducing the severity of spasm.

If you would like to contact Charlotte for more information please call our Secretary Rosemary on 01227 373080.

Outing To Goodnestone Park Gardens

Thirty-one members and guests joined us on the Coach trip on a warm, sunny afternoon to Goodnestone Park. The walled garden (the largest in the southeast) was glorious with many plants in early flower thanks to the hot start to May combined with the sheltered location. When we’d had enough of wandering the gardens we retired to the tea rooms and enjoyed tea with homemade cake. Somewhere in there a fair few managed to find time to buy some plants to take home and many of the remaining coach seats were occupied with glorious flowering Clematis.