Katie Price has revealed that her terminally ill mother Amy is now struggling to breathe as she continues to battle a debilitating lung condition.
Brave Amy, 68, was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis four years ago, and distraught Katie, 42, has revealed that the condition has greatly hampered her ability to live the active lifestyle she once prided herself on enjoying.
During an interview on BBC Northern Ireland’s Nolan Live, Katie said: ‘My mum doesn’t smoke, she’s always been so healthy and she’s got this incurable lung disease and there’s nothing you can do.
Heartbreaking: Katie Price has revealed that her terminally ill mother Amy is now struggling to breathe as she continues to battle a debilitating lung condition. Pictured in 2019
‘So the British Lung Foundation, she got us in touch with them to talk to other people and they just said, “Build memories, take lots of pictures” and that’s all you can do really. What else can you do? You know it’s coming.
The mother-of-five continued: ‘She’s only got like 32 per cent left of her lung capacity, we have got 100 per cent, she’s got 32.
‘So if you imagine now being that out of breath, it must be awful, and it’s an awful way to go. It’s horrible to see my mum go through it because she’s so active, it’s cruel.’
During an appearance on ITV’s Good Morning Britain with her glamour model daughter earlier this week, Amy said she’s in her ‘last couple of years’.
Distraught: Kate’s brave mother Amy, 68, was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis four years ago, and distraught Katie, 42, has revealed that the condition is worsening
Speaking with GMB hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid, she said: ‘What with COVID and everything, if I catch a cold or COVID there’s just no hope, so that would be the end of it for me.’
Amy, who is holding onto hope for a lung transplant, continued: ‘But positively, I’m hoping, I’m pushing to see if I can get on the transplant list, because there is no cure and there’s nothing else they can do for me really.
‘With the transplant my age is against me, because the results are not that good as you get older.’
Back in December, Katie expressed fears that she was spending her last Christmas with terminally ill mum Amy amid her health woes.
Struggle:In December, Katie said she feared Christmas would be her last with Amy as her health has ‘deteriorated’ amid battle with debilitating lung condition
The former glamour model said she was worried about ‘how long’ she’ll have with her mother as her health had deteriorated in the weeks leading up to the festive period.
Claiming that the last few festive seasons have ‘been s**t’, Katie said she was trying to remain positive under the circumstances.
Speaking with The Sun, Katie explained: ‘This year my mum deteriorated more so I just want to do really Christmas this year because I don’t know how long she will be here.’
‘There is nothing we can do about that, that is what I speak to a therapist about, what I am going to have to deal with.’
Candid: Katie said she is worried about ‘how long’ she’ll have with her mother, and felt the last few festive seasons have ‘been s**t’ so she is trying to remain positive under the circumstances
‘I am not saying it will be her last Christmas but I really want to enjoy it. I am really looking forward to this Christmas. The last couple have been s**t.’
Amy revealed in 2017 that she was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable condition that causes scarring on the lungs.
When Amy was first diagnosed with IPF, she was given a three to five year life expectancy by doctors.
In recent months Amy has been shielding from her family to protect herself during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Katie only able to see her mum through the window.
Sad: In recent months Amy has been shielding from her family to protect herself during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Katie only able to see her mum through the window
Staying safe: The pair were able to see each other in October alongside Katie’s half-sister Sophie, after they passed a coronavirus test so they knew they were safe to see Amy
The pair were able to see each other in October alongside Katie’s half-sister Sophie, after they passed a coronavirus test so they knew they were safe to see Amy on her birthday.
Katie reflected on the shocking news on Loose Women last year and said: ‘I couldn’t cope and when you hear “terminal” you think she’s not got long left.’
Amy discussed her well-being during the same interview in April 2019, and said: ‘I’m not too bad.
‘I went for tests this week with the transplant team, they keep an eye on me, my lung function tests have dropped a little bit but that’s to be expected with what I have got because it is a progressive illness.
‘But they do all the tests on the other organs in your body to prepare you for when they think you need a transplant – I’m not yet [on the transplant list] – and what they do is that they look at everything to make sure you can cope with it, your heart, liver and your kidneys and all that, and they are still 100 percent, they are fine.
‘So at the moment they go, “You are to healthy, go and enjoy yourself.”‘
Katie has also said when the family first discovered Amy’s diagnosis, she tried to offer her mum a lung.
‘She wouldn’t ever let me because I have kids but it’s not that easy. There’s not that many on the transplant list, they have to wait until you’re nearly dead,’ she said.
Health: When Amy was first diagnosed, she was given a three to five year life expectancy by doctors (pictured on Loose Women last year)