15 hours a day hooked to this

"I thought my life had come to an end when I was diagnosed and was told I had to be on the oxygen concentrator for so long," she said.

"Having got over the shock, life does start to begin again, although I could not manage without my carer, Jane Oram, who I cannot speak highly enough of.

"I still have a life which I enjoy, although now it is more limited.

"The 15 hours on the oxygen concentrator is spent between 6pm and 9am and sometimes if I go out in the evening I remain on it longer the next day to make up.

"I can no longer complete any arduous activity as I become breathless and catching a cold is very serious as it often results in a chest infection."

Valerie, from Maybridge, was forced to give up her job in the health service in 1994 because she was so ill with a condition diagnosed as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

It was living day to day with the condition, which is most common among smokers and former smokers, that prompted Valerie to help set up the Worthing Breathe Easy Group in 1999, in association with the

British Lung Foundation. She is now secretary.

The group meets twice a month and has around 50 members from Worthing, Shoreham, Littlehampotn, Southwick and Lancing who all suffer from lung diseases.

It is chaired by Brenda Yates, from Findon Valley.

Her sister Marie Kavanagh, who also suffered from COPD and who was also a smoker, was a member of the group and died three years ago. As a tribute to her, Brenda decided to take over as chairman.

"My sister died when she was 73. She had suffered from COPD for almost 20 years. It was because of her that I knew about the group and, when I was asked, I thought it would be a nice tribute to Marie to become chair. These people literally have not got enough breath to chair the meetings themselves,"she said.

"It is a very happy, sociable group and is open to anyone. When I first came to the group I asked the members what did they liked to do at meetings and they said they liked to talk about their illness. "If you asked them the same question now you would get a very different answer because the whole ethos of the group has changed.

"We have guest speakers, lots of social events such as quiz socials, summer tea parties and a Christmas party. At every meeting there is also a raffle and refreshments."

Members are pushing for Worthing Hospital to lay on pulmonary rehabilitation for sufferers, which are special exercise classes, and they also want to try and set up an evening group.

Brenda said : "People are very welcome to come along to our group. "

Anyone who would like anymore information about the group can contact Valerie on 01903 247992, or Brenda on 01930 873858.

The group meets on the second Friday of every month at 2.30pm Field Place from 2.30pm. Meetings are not held in January or February.