2024 marks the 20th Anniversary of Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJI) and as part of our programme of activities to mark this milestone CJI staff members are undertaking the challenge of completing the Belfast Marathon Relay on Sunday 5 May. Two five-person relay teams will compete to finish the 26.2mile course with the aim of fundraising a minimum of £1,000 for Sarcoidosis UK – a charity which is very close to the heart of Business and Communication Manager Meloney McVeigh.

“On 1st December 2023, my husband Alan died in the Ulster Hospital, Dundonald. Alan had just turned 53 and until May 2015 when he was involved in a work-related accident, he was an incredibly fit, healthy and active man who loved going to the gym and was happiest spending time with our young daughter Erin and I. He enjoyed walking our dog, going on holiday and was keen to give back to the local community having spent time as a member of Kilkeel Lifeboat Crew and then Newcastle Coastguard Team.

“Alan’s work-related accident significantly changed his life requiring him to undergo spinal surgery in January 2017 however it was his diagnosis of having developed sarcoidosis in both lungs (pulmonary sarcoidosis) in 2018 aged 47 that was to ultimately present him with his biggest personal challenge and one which he was unable to overcome.

“Before developing sarcoidosis, neither Alan nor I had heard about it. Yet this challenging condition that can affect one in every 10,000 people in the UK can target many different parts of the body including the lungs, the skin, eyes, joints, nervous system and heart. Lumps called granulomas form where clusters of cells are involved in inflammation. If many granulomas form in an organ, like the lung in Alan’s case, they can prevent that organ from working properly and lead to the development of other life-threatening symptoms like pulmonary fibrosis or scarring of the lung tissue.

“Fatigue is one of the common side effects of sarcoidosis and in Alan’s case very little activity left hm feeling exhausted. No amount of rest left him feeling refreshed – something he personally struggled with given how active he had been before developing the condition. As his condition progressed, he became short of breath requiring him to be prescribed corticosteroids and other drugs eventually requiring portable oxygen from 2019 to support him to get around and undertake everyday tasks. His community spirit and desire to raise awareness of this debilitating condition led him to become involved with Sarcoidosis UK and help set up the Sarcoidosis UK Northern Ireland support group to provide peer support and information to fellow sufferers.

“Our last family holiday to Disney World in Orlando, Florida is one Erin and I will always treasure. Alan was determined to make the most of the opportunity and enjoy every experience he could despite requiring a mobility scooter to get about. The continual progression of the condition and worsening of his lungs meant that Alan’s was informed in spring 2023 that he would need a lung transplant. We were hopeful he would be a strong candidate for the operation and his positive outlook meant that despite the enormity of the operation he was potentially facing in the future he saw it as an opportunity to transform his quality of life.

“Unfortunately, Alan’s condition worsened rapidly and despite the best efforts of the medical team, he became too ill to be considered for the much-needed transplant and our lives as a family changed forever in early December when he passed away. He has left a massive hole in our lives and of those who knew him.

“Alan was courageous and determined to fight for his life to the end, but the damage caused to his lungs as a result of chronic sarcoidosis was irreversible.

“Sarcoidosis is indiscriminate. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a man or woman or what ethnic background you may be from. It can occur at any age, but commonly affects adults in their 30s or 40s and the exact cause of this condition is unknown. That’s why fundraising to assist charities like Sarcoidosis UK to pursue research so we can better understand the cause of sarcoidosis, identify more effective treatment patterns and a search for a cure – to benefit all sufferers, but especially those like Alan who experienced the most severe form of this little-known condition – is so important.

“It’s fantastic that CJI has chosen to nominate Sarcoidosis UK as its charity partner for this amazing fundraising event and I know Alan would be very touched that as a staff group, we were undertaking this challenge with him in mind and to raise money for this worthy cause.”

If you wish to learn more about sarcoidosis or the work of charity, please visit Sarcoidosis UK - Information, Support, Research & Awareness.