Grandmother of 4, Gaynor Hardman, was diagnosed with bronchiectasis at 61. With limited knowledge and understanding of this condition, she was not informed about what this diagnosis would entail. It wasn’t until she was hospitalised and seriously struggling to breathe that she received the proper care and education needed to help her manage her illness.
Bronchiectasis is an overlooked and often neglected chronic respiratory condition. It is the UK’s third most common chronic lung condition affecting 1 in 200 adults, yet remains largely unknown. It is complex, often under-diagnosed and misdiagnosed, and currently has no licensed treatments available.
This means those affected must learn to live with their condition, which can greatly impact their quality of life.
This is Gaynor’s story.
“At the beginning of 2023, I had a persistent cough for several weeks, so I decided to visit the doctor. I was given a course of antibiotics, but they didn’t stop the cough or clear things up, so I went back again. This time, I was sent for an X-ray and a CT scan, which eventually confirmed that I had bronchiectasis.
I feel fortunate it was nothing more sinister than that, but I wasn’t told much about bronchiectasis other than it might reoccur, and if it did, I should come back for more antibiotics.
Following my diagnosis, I was again prescribed antibiotics, but the cough still didn’t clear up, so I had to return. This time, I asked the doctor questions about bronchiectasis to try to get a better understanding of my diagnosis. I also did my own research at home in an attempt to learn more.
Not long after that, I was hospitalised because I had severe shortness of breath. I thought my world was ending and that I was going to pass away right then and there because I had never experienced anything like it – it was such a scary experience. I hadn’t been told much about the breathlessness; I was just under the impression I would have a persistent cough. Because I wasn’t aware, this experience was even scarier.
Following the treatment I received during my hospitalisation, I began to get a much better understanding of my condition. The hospital staff were very thorough and explicit, explaining exactly what to expect and how to manage daily with physio, chest clearance exercises, and regular medications, including carbocisteine and a salbutamol inhaler. I was also advised to keep a rescue pack at home for when my condition worsens, consisting of a two-week course of amoxicillin plus a course of steroids.
Thankfully, I now know what to expect and how best to manage my symptoms.”
Many people, like Gaynor, receive a bronchiectasis diagnosis and know little about their condition or how to manage it to prevent severe infections and hospitalisation. They are often caught in a cycle of infection, with limited treatment options due to antibiotic resistance and a lack of effective therapies.
To improve the lives of people living with bronchiectasis, we must gain a better understanding of this disease and invest in developing new treatments and tools to either cure or help people better manage their respiratory health. Through our Chronic Respiratory Infection Translational Challenge, we are funding research and partnering with others in this space to accelerate the development of life-changing innovations.
