This is my memorial fundraising page for my beloved "Pop". I couldn't wish for a better Dad but sadly he was taken away before his time because of a little known lung disease called Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). Most people probably expect that means he was a heavy smoker or spent his life working with asbestos but the he did neither & the "idiopathic" bit means (completely) unexplained. He never smoked in his life & I always remember him offering us a whopping £5 if we didn't smoke until we were 21....it was clearly a good example as I never smoked either (never did claim my fiver though!). As for asbestos...he worked as a an accountant in an office & always steered well clear of DIY :) x Short of a lung transplant there is no cure for IPF - it leaves it victims desperately short of breath due to inflammation & permanent scarring of the lung (irreversible damage). Dad had a persistent cough for ages which we didn't think was too serious but urged him to go to the Doctor. It wasn't until our last VERY Precious last family holiday that we really noticed how much he was getting out of breath. It was obvious that something was wrong but the diagnosis & identification of the best treatment was frustratingly slow. Dad struggled on for a couple of months before he was given the oxygen he needed (24 hours a day!) and steroids to help him fight the particularly bad attacks. It's so hard to watch someone you love so much suffer & know that they've got an incurable disease but Dad never complained, was so incredibly brave, dignified & never gave up. He was my absolute hero (still is!) and such an inspiration xx After just 5 short months from diagnosis we lost him. We were by his side in the hospital when he sadly lost his brave battle. It was so much sooner than expected at just 68 years of age. He leaves a massive Dad shaped hole in my heart which will never quite heal but is filled with countless loving memories...his smile, his hugs, his words of encouragement & support, Saturday afternoon watching St. Pats in the rugby, his love of Buddy Holly & Roger Miller music, Mars Bars, Baby Bath, endless money saving schemes but above all his love of his family xxx He had a huge influence on who I am today & for that I will be forever grateful. I'm lucky to have had such a wonderful Dad but it would've been nice to have him here for longer! There's a desperate need for funding to raise awareness & carry out more research into this terrible disease so other families don't need to go through what we have. It's a cause very close to my heart & I've decided it's time to do my bit in his wonderful memory. Love you so much Pop xxxx