On Christmas Eve 2013, pulmonary fibrosis took away the most important person in my life. My grandmother, Surjit Kaur, was my best friend; she gave me unconditional love and support. She was an incredibly loving and kind woman. Every moment of my life has a memory of her, and it’s incomprehensible that she won’t be a part of my future. There is not a day that goes by where my heart doesn’t ache for one last hug. Every single second without her is just incredibly painful.
As part of a trip to South America this year, I have decided to trek the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in memory of my dear grandmother. I thought this would be a wonderful opportunity to raise money for a charity that is close to my heart. Breathing Matters is a charity that focuses its attention on various lung diseases and infections, but primarily Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Pulmonary fibrosis is a very rare disease that causes scarring of the lung tissue and in many cases it is fatal as there is no cure.
Breathing Matters is one of the few charities in the UK that actually funds clinical research at UCL. Their aim in the long run is to find a cure, but they also research ways to prevent the illness as well as making it liveable and manageable.
If the money I raise can help others avoid the loss of a loved one, then the hellish trek will definitely be worth it. So if you have any spare change, please donate it to Breathing Matters in memory of Surjit Kaur to help those people out there who still have a chance – https://www.justgiving.com/Harpreet-Dhatt/
Thank you very much for taking the time to read this.