Hi, I'm Amy Lodder from Dulverton where I have lived for nearly 20 years. I’m 30 years old and I never thought I would be representing a charity so close to my heart.
In the year of 2009, I was extremely ill and was subsequently diagnosed with incurable lung disease Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). I had 8 collapsed lungs and 4resulted in having major lung surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary.
I spent most of 2009 in a hospital bed with agonizing tubes draining fluid from my chest and it was one of the hardest years of my entire life. But I kept going as best I could. I had to pull on every resource that I had in me to fight and to keep myself alive, struggling to breath each time my lung collapsed. My medical team were just amazing and became my friends and the support from my family and friends were and still are just so incredible.
Lam is a very rare incurable lung disease affecting only women, and is generally diagnosed in women of child bearing age. The body produces cysts on the lungs which progressively erodes lung function and making it increasingly difficult for the sufferer to breath. Sometimes these cysts burst which causes the lung/lungs to collapse. That's what happened to me.
Since the beginning of 2010, although I have not been entirely hospital free, I have not had to have any further operations yet!! Long may it last!!
In most cases LAM leads to respiratory failure and the sufferer becomes dependant on oxygen to help them to breath. But for many the only hope of survival is to have a lung transplant and even then chance of survival is slim.
On 17th April (this year), my wonderful and supportive partner Karlos Kent is running the London Marathon for me and on behalf of the charity LAM Action.(Reg. Charity 1096637) - a charity dedicated to providing sufferers and their families with information, support and encouragement, as well as providing vital funding for crucial research to find a cure or something toslow the progression of this debilitating disease. LAM action recieves no external funding and soley relies on voluntary funding. Do visit www.lamaction.org if you would like to know more about the charity and the disease. Further details can also be found at www.lamtreatmentalliance.org
Lam is destroying the lives of many women around the world. Please help me raise money for this under researched, under-funded disease, in hope of finding a treatment that slows or halts the progression of this horrible disease. If you would like to support the charity to help with vital funding please visit www.justgiving.com/karlkent
Currently there is no cure for LAM and very little in the way of treatment. Every penny counts and your donation WILL really make a difference!
Thank you for your support.
Amy x
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