Leeds man dies 12 weeks after diagnosis with 'horrific' lung disease as daughter raises £1k on awareness walk

Brian Lynch, 66, was a hard-working tiler from the city who loved bowling at his favourite club in Stanningley. But when he was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis last Christmas, he did not realise he only had three months left to live.

Now, his daughter is on a mission to raise awareness of the disease that 70,000 people in the UK live with, but surprisingly few have heard of.

It typically presents itself with symptoms like breathlessness, a persistent cough and swollen fingertips. However, it is often dismissed as a sign of ageing.

According to new statistics from charity Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis, more than three quarters of people with the disease said their GP did not tell them they might have it before referring them to hospital, leaving patients unaware they had been living with a fatal lung condition.

The charity also found that nearly a third of people in the UK had never heard of pulmonary fibrosis, despite the average life expectancy being three to seven years - worse than many common cancers.

That is why Brian's daughter, Clare Austin, is embarking on a mammoth 66 mile walk - a mile for each year of her father's life. With husband Robert and step-brother Louie Rowell, the team will call at all of Brian’s favourite places.

"It was horrific," said Clare. "We were never given a timescale. You hear of people with cancer who are told they could live for weeks, months or years, but this was just so unexpected. It's really sad that not enough is known about the disease."

Before his death, Brian had complained of breathlessness and was seen by a doctor, but it was not until December last year that a lung specialist found the terminal disease.

At one point, his blood oxygen level was as low as 59%, in stark contrast to a healthy reading that should show at least 95%.

Clare, from Horsforth, explained: "It's like suffocating. You can't get enough oxygen into your body to pump the blood round."

While there are several treatments that can help reduce the rate at which the disease gets worse, there are currently no treatments that can stop the scarring of the lungs. However, a clinical trial for a drug developed by artificial intelligence is underway that is hoped could reverse the effects altogether.

Clare will take a break from running her jewellery shop in Howarth tomorrow (September 9) to embark on the 66 mile walk, which will be split across two days.

The team will set off from Bramley before finishing in Morecambe, where Brian died. They have raised almost £1,000 for Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis so far. To donate to their fundraiser, go to Clare’s JustGiving page.

Remembering her dad, Clare said: "He was a hard worker, but his main love in life was bowling. He was the youngest person to win the cup at Stanningley Bowling Green in 1979 and his name is still on the plaque at the club now."

She added: "I want more to be known about the disease by GPs, the NHS, and also the general public. People should know the signs and the symptoms to look out for.

"It has been really hard for us to deal with, to be honest. If you hear someone has cancer, you understand that concept. Pulmonary fibrosis isn't as well known, but too many people have it for there not to be knowledge out there."