Since being diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) around 2010, Richard McCabe, now 67 from Leicester was has taken part in numerous trials at the NIHR Leicester Clinical Research Facility (CRF).
After experiencing significant health benefits through trials including COPD-HELP and COPD-ST2OP, he has become a key advocate for the work taking place in Leicester, and has recently been selected to be one of the patient experts on the (March 2025) NICE review of Dupilumab in COPD.
Richard said: “I’ve always lived a really healthy lifestyle. I had active jobs when I was younger, as a market trader and a window cleaner. When I was faced with the symptoms I was experiencing around 15 years ago, I feared for the worst.
“I was actually relieved to be diagnosed with COPD, not cancer, which I was fearing the most.
“When I was asked to be part of a trial after being hospitalised I didn’t need to think about if for long, and it’s been an important part of my journey ever since. It’s amazing to be part of research, to have full MOTs, to learn about your condition and to potentially benefit from new medicines, like I’ve done. Really importantly, I like knowing it could help other people.
“It makes you feel good, not just doing good for yourself, but for others too.”
“People should be knocking the door down to take part in research!” Richard added, “If you can commit the time, do it.”
Be Part of Research is a free service which makes it easy to find and take part in vital health and care research across the UK.
Simply tell which health conditions you’re interested in and you will be matched to suitable studies and receive the information on how to take part.
Sign up to hear about opportunities to take part in Leicester through the Research Registry.