A Co Fermanagh man who is waiting to receive a double lung transplant is set to take on a 24-hour sailing challenge in aid of Pulmonary Fibrosis NI.
Marty Ansfield, from Derrygonnelly, has suffered from the condition and a number of other lung related illnesses since 2016.
He has been told recently that he needs a double lung transplant which he says will transform his life.
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“I used to drive the ferry over to Devenish Island and all of a sudden one day I realised I was very short of breath,” Marty told MyFermanagh.
“I phoned the doctor and was seen that day and told I had COPD, my condition deteriorated then and it just got worse and worse.
“It got to the stage where I was just constantly out of breath and would often have panic attacks as a result.
“It has had a big impact on my life and I’m on oxygen 24/7. At the start there was also a bit of mental pressure around carrying oxygen with me everywhere.
“But you just have to be positive minded and crack on with your life.”
Marty is now on a waiting list for a transplant at a specialist lung unit in Newcastle, and says he can see "light at the end of the tunnel".
In order to give back to a local charity which has supported him, Marty will be taking on a 24-hour sailing challenge on Lough Erne in June.
“I’ve volunteered to do a 24-hour sponsored sail on a boat which is specially designed for those with disabilities,” Marty said.
“Pulmonary Fibrosis NI is a brilliant organisation which has helped me a lot so I just wanted to give back a little bit.”
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