I still struggle sometimes but my body has learned to make up for the loss of a lung

I had always been fit and well until I had to have my right lung removed in 2008 when it suddenly collapsed. I’d been suffering from a tight feeling in my chest and initially thought it was a chest infection until an X-ray showed otherwise.

A wake-up call

When I left hospital after the surgery to remove my lung, I was acutely aware it would impact my life. I had always been sporty, playing football and golf. It was a wake-up call really as I met a lot of very poorly people in the specialist heart and lung unit.

The biggest issue was my lung oxygen capacity. I was told I would never be as fit as I was before having the lung removed. And that my ability to do endurance type sports would decline and probably get worse as I got older, as it does for all of us.

However, I was determined to make the most of my one remaining lung so I took up rugby and regular training.

Finding the strength to get fit again

My specialist never told me it would be a problem for me to continue sports, just that I’d find it harder. I would hit the wall sooner than the other players and would have to start training much earlier in the season to keep up with them. But I refused to let having one lung stop me from being active.

My initial urge was to wrap myself in up cotton wool and stop playing sport and take things easy. But I met so many people in hospital in a much worse position than me who were never going to get better and who couldn’t do anything. They gave me the strength to get myself fit again and into shape.

It’s exciting to see how far I can push myself

Over last few years I’ve taken up several challenges to raise money for charity but I had always wanted to run the London Marathon. I checked that it was safe with my doctor first before I started training by running a few miles a week.

It takes me longer to build up capacity so I knew I’d need more than 16 weeks to train for it. It was tough at times though. I’m now running distances of up to 13 miles and I’ve never run that far in my life which is hard work but it’s exciting as well seeing how far I can push myself.

Determination to get to the finish line

I still get conscious of my breathlessness at times as I go into a shallower breath pattern when I’m talking for long periods of time. I naturally get out of breath quickly and even when running at a slow pace, and I might not be able to hold a conversation whereas other people would. My heart rate is more elevated at beginning of exercise too as my heart is having to work harder to give my body enough oxygen. But I am determined to get to that finish line. I want to show my little boy you don’t have to let adversity hold you back in life.

We’ve created a free Keep Active programme which gives you everything you need to start moving more with your lung condition. As well as how to manage breathlessness when you’re active. Find out more about the programme and watch our videos to get you moving, at a pace that suits you.