If you are reading this blog, the likelihood is that you already know about tuberculosis. You may know that it is a contagious airborne disease that causes persistent coughing, blood in your mucus, loss of appetite, weight loss and night sweats. You may also know that despite the common perception that it is a disease that has almost died out, there are still outbreaks and England has one of the highest TB rates in Western Europe. If you didn't know any of these things, there’s no need to be embarrassed, many people still don’t know about tuberculosis (commonly known as TB) and before I contracted TB I was one of those people.

I had never heard of this disease or its symptoms till one evening on 31 March 2000 when suddenly I couldn’t breathe without suffering from sharp pains in my chest. After a few hours, the pain became unbearable and I was taken to the hospital. I was told that I had suffered a punctured lung, possibly caused by TB. That was the first time I heard about TB. That moment of realisation is something that I will never forget. I was less than 3 months away from my final exams for A-Levels, and my parents felt guilty that they had not recognised the symptoms and done something about them.

During that year, I saw and experienced many things because of my TB. I was afraid of being excluded and stigmatised at my high school, but thanks to the support of my school, teachers and other pupils, this didn’t happen and I decided to finish my A-Levels that year. I couldn’t have done so without the help and support I received. However, the one thing that I found very difficult was my parents' continual guilt at not recognising signs of the disease sooner. It’s not something that I have ever held against them, but I now tell other parents to learn more about TB because people still catch it and the sooner it is treated the better.

TB can affect anyone, yes I have an Indian origin but it is not limited to ethnic minorities. And although it remains concentrated in the most deprived areas, it is not restricted to a particular class. The incidence of TB in England is more than four times higher than in the US, and if current trends continue England will have more TB cases than the whole of the US within two years. There are also examples of outbreaks in other European countries originating in the UK. Between 2011 and 2013, Barnet had an average 94.3 cases per year, which is more than twice the national average rate and higher than some of our neighbouring boroughs. It is a local, national and global problem.

It is 15 years since I was diagnosed with TB and I have survived and am living a normal and healthy life. I have run in half marathons and other charity events to raise awareness of TB for the charity TB Alert because I believe that everyone should have an understanding of this disease. TB is a disease that can be fatal but by learning more about it, we can make our homes and our communities safer, and by being informed we can also help the patients that are suffering from TB, and ultimately finally eradicate this disease.

 

 

Times Series:

Community Barnet  and TB Alert are now working together to raise awareness of TB in Barnet by running a series of TB Awareness workshops. The workshops are free and the next one is on Wednesday 18 February.

Groups who attend one of the workshops will be able to bid for a small grants of up to £500. The purpose of the grant will be to run an awareness campaign within your own organisation.

What will I gain from attending a workshop?

  • Learn more about TB and how it affects the communities you work with
  • Gain an understanding of how your community/clients can access TB services
  • Gain knowledge and skills on how you and your organisation can develop and deliver bespoke TB awareness programmes in your area
  • Be trained to use the free The Truth About TB resource pack, which contains a range of TB awareness materials to raise awareness in your community or among your clients; and
  • A chance to network and share experiences with like-minded community groups and programme leads

When:  Wednesday February 18  2015 from 2:00 PM  -   5:30 PM

Venue:  The Dining Place, 7 The Concourse, Graham Park, London, London NW9 5XB

For more information please email julie.pal@communitybarnet.org.uk or Tel: 020 8364 8400 ext. 204

For more information about how TB impacts on your community, please contact Garrett Turbett, Public Health Specialist at garrett.turbett@harrow.gov.uk or 07584 261 995