Wigan sisters to host fund-raiser for pulmonary fibrosis

Louise and Jenny Doran have organised a literary event with best-selling author and historian Alison Weir to secure vital funds for Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis.

The pair have been raising awareness for the condition, which affected their mum Anne and who was 66 years old when she died from in August 2020.

Anne suffered for years with the incurable disease which causes the lungs to scar over time.

The most common symptoms include shortness of breath, dry coughing and fatigue, with the condition affecting around 70,000 people in the UK.

She was diagnosed in 2012, and battled the illness for eight years before her death.

This is the third event to be organised by the family after previously hosting an art competition and Louise produced a series of mugs with words and phrases relating to pulmonary fibrosis.

Louise, from Orrell said: “This disease essentially stops you from being able to breathe, it makes it progressively harder.

"My mum went from walking around to being unable to lift her arm up, despite being on oxygen all the time, the levels of oxygen in her blood were dangerously low.

"There’s constantly fund-raising for Macmillan, but this disease is rarely mentioned so I wanted to do something about it

"We need to find a cure and better treatment for it as there is very little available and only a small minority are eligible for a lung transplant.”

The event is being held on June 30 at Stockport Guild Hall.

It will feature Alison Weir discussing her new book Elizabeth of York: The Last White Rose, as well as conversation with Dr Martin Heale, Reader in Medieval History at the University of Liverpool and author of, The Abbots and Priors of Late Medieval and Reformation England.

There will also be a book signing, raffle and a visit from historical re-enactment group Tudor Legacies: The Queens of Henry VIII.

Louise added: “My sister loves reading and went to a talk by Alison with my mum.

"She contacted her and she said she was happy to help. We’re doing it there because Alison is in the area that day.

“The room can hold 220 people and it’s £25 a ticket.”

You can purchase a ticket through their Just Giving page.

For more information click here