To coincide with Worldwide Cystic Fibrosis Day on 8 September, international recording artist Mary Duff has launched ‘Breathe with Me’, a new single to raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis Ireland.

The song hopes to convey what life is like for a person with cystic fibrosis. And all funds raised from sales of the single will be going to support the work of Ireland’s national charity for people with cystic fibrosis.

There are around 1,200 people living with cystic fibrosis in Ireland today, and Ireland has the highest incidence of cystic fibrosis per head of population in the world, with three times the rate of the United States and the rest of the European Union, as well as some of the most severe cases.

Mary Duff, best known as Daniel O’Donnell’s duet partner, has been an ambassador for Cystic Fibrosis Ireland for a number of years and leads its annual international walk that will take place in Montenegro later this September.

“Cystic fibrosis really is a cause close to my heart,” said Duff. “In my ambassador role I have made friends with so many people who know first-hand the day-to-day struggles of people with cystic fibrosis and how it can be a never-ending cycle of medications, antibiotics, nebulisers, physiotherapy and hospital visits.

“With this song, we wanted to get across that while for most of us breathing is something that we can thankfully take for granted, for a person with cystic fibrosis it can be such a huge challenge. The song, which was originally written by a group of people in the UK with connections to people with cystic fibrosis, aims to give an insight into what that life is like.”

The single can be downloaded now at maryduffmusic.com/shop for €2

For more information on the work of Cystic Fibrosis Ireland and the supports available to people with cystic fibrosis and their families, visit the website at www.cfireland.ie or phone LoCall 1890 311 211.