I was born in 1986 in Thessaloniki, Greece, where I still live. I am a lawyer.

I had upper and lower respiratory problems since I was born. At age 17 I was diagnosed with asthma. At age 25, after a serious lung infection, I was diagnosed with bronchiectasis. At that time, I only knew this doesn’t go away and it gets worse with every new infection. I couldn’t tell whether my constant lung problems were caused by asthma or bronchiectasis.

I joined the bronchiectasis PAG after suffering a lung infection and realising that there is a lack of information on bronchiectasis. Joining the PAG was the first time I had met people with the same condition. It felt really encouraging knowing there are others with similar problems and concerns. My personal and professional goals often leave me with little time for things I enjoy, but I feel PAG is totally worth it.

Graham joined the Bronchiectasis PAG in 2013 after being diagnosed with the condition in 2006. He hopes to improve equity and access to treatment for patients suffering from bronchiectasis.

As a result of his condition, he had to take ill-health retirement from the NHS where he previously worked as a Clinical Nurse Specialist. However, Graham remains an advocate for people living with bronchiectasis. Alongside his role in the bronchiectasis PAG, he is also active in his local branch of the Royal College of Nursing.

Alan was diagnosed with bronchiectasis in 1990. In 2015, he became the first patient member of the Bronchiectasis Patient Advisory Group (PAG), and shared his experiences within European Respiratory Society (ERS) guidelines. Alan is keen to make information for patients accessible and now actively contributes to advancements in research and treatment for bronchiectasis through ELF.

Rachael lives between the UK and Portugal. She works as a writer and translator of fiction and theatre, and is also a voluntary sector development worker.

Rachael was diagnosed with bronchiectasis in 2021, after having a chronic cough for 10 years and being misdiagnosed with asthma. She began to access ELF resources on bronchiectasis and went on to join the bronchiectasis PAG after realising there was a lack of knowledge on the condition.

Rachael is passionate about patients raising awareness of their condition and contributing to research and practice.

Joyce is 86 years old and joined the Bronchiectasis PAG when she retired, due to the lack of information available to her. She has lived with lung problems throughout her life and was diagnosed with bronchiectasis in 1987.

Joyce has been able to access more information around bronchiectasis after joining the PAG and believes this is key to having a good doctor-patient relationship.

Philip was diagnosed with bronchiectasis in 2014 at the age of 72. He has been involved with the bronchiectasis PAG for over 3 years and finds it informative to speak to others with similar experiences. Alongside his involvement in the group, Philip has been a volunteer in clinical trials for new bronchiectasis drugs since 2021.

Donna has lived with bronchiectasis for most of her life. She joined the ELF PAG in 2021, hoping to help others improve their quality of life. She has recently been active as a patient representative and advocate at the World Bronchiectasis Conference and at the annual ERS Congress. Donna will soon be speaking at the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Respiratory Care.

Maria was diagnosed with bronchiectasis 10 years ago and has been involved in the PAG since March 2021.

By taking part in PAG activities, she hopes to have a positive impact on others with bronchiectasis and share knowledge around the condition. She hopes this will give professionals a better understanding of the condition and help others with bronchiectasis understand how to prevent flare-ups and stay up to date with the latest medical developments.

Donatella was diagnosed with bronchiectasis in 2013 and joined the group to share her experiences with the disease. She is also a volunteer of the Italian Association of Bronchiectasis (Associazione Italiana Bronchiettasie APS).

Donatella enjoys being able to discuss different topics around bronchiectasis and work alongside others from different countries to improve the quality of life for patients across Europe.

Bridget was diagnosed with bronchiectasis in 2014 and has lived with bronchiectasis symptoms for about 25 years. She is a member of the bronchiectasis patient support group in Edinburgh and joined the Bronchiectasis PAG as a result of James Chalmers coming to speak to the group. 

In her professional life she worked for more than 30 years as a nurse in critical care, combining clinical work with research. This experience showed her how important patient and family input can be in improving care. Her own research included patients and healthy volunteers and she has participated as a patient in a number of research studies.

She values the opportunities and support the PAG offers for developing and providing information and education resources on bronchiectasis for patients and professionals and contributing to the research agenda.