Keith Rudman has lived 30 years longer than doctors predicted – and raised £10,000 with book about his life

Keith Rudman with his book

Keith Rudman has defied doctors’ predictions to live 30 years beyond his life expectancy and has raised £10,000 for the cystic fibrosis unit where he receives treatment.

Mr Rudman, manager of the Beales Department Store, was given a maximum life expectancy of 20 years when he was born with the life-limiting lung condition in 1963.

Now, 52 years later, the keen golfer and bowls player is still as determined and strong as ever, and is celebrating another precious milestone, as he’s raised £10,000 for the Manchester Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre at Wythenshawe hospital.

Mr Rudman, who has worked in retail for more than 30 years, recounted his life story in a book written by close friend and former Manchester Evening News journalist Steve McHugh.

More than 500 copies of the book have been sold so far, netting more than £5,000.

Now thanks to the efforts of his close friends James Holland, 45, and Neil Baison, 56, who recently completed a gruelling charity cycle ride in Italy for Keith’s charity fund, the fundraising total has exceeded £10,000.

It is a fantastic achievement for Mr Rudman whose initial goal in writing the book was to simply help other parents coping with a child with the debilitating condition.

“The highlight of it all was a phone call from a lady who lives in Manchester whose grandson had just been diagnosed with the condition at 12 months old,” he said.

“I spoke to her for half an hour on the phone and she asked me lots of questions. She said she felt a lot happier about the future having spoken to me.

“That’s the only recognition I want. The message is not about how great I am it’s about my life story, about me still working at the age of 52, and giving people hope and inspiration.”

Mr Rudman’s friends were inspired to help his fundraising efforts after witnessing first-hand his brave battle with the condition over the past 20 years.

They signed up to a 271-mile, three-and-a-half-day cycle ride from Venice to Milan in Italy, despite having very little cycling experience, and managed to raise more than £5,000 inclusive of Gift Aid.

“It was extremely challenging and gruelling,” admitted James, from Audlem in Cheshire, who completed the event in June.

“The highlight was day three when we had to climb a mountain 2,400m from the ground with a gradient of about 13%. It was extremely hard. It was about 35C and we had to dig deep to make sure we achieved it.

“Keith is my best mate and I’ve seen first-hand what he has to go through to keep himself alive. He fits more into his life than anyone I know and he never moans.

“I was going up that mountain and although it was hard I just thought about Keith and how he wouldn’t ever give up.”

Mr Rudman initially decided to write a book about his lifelong battle with cystic fibrosis shortly after reaching his milestone 50th birthday. He spent months researching his old medical records over the years before getting to work.

The book chronicles Mr Rudman’s life from birth and recalls the experience of his parents, Phyllis and Harvey Rudman, when they were told of their son’s condition.

Mrs Rudman died in 1990, but the memory is still very painful for Mr Rudman’s 86-year-old father.

“When I was born, the life expectancy was 20 years and currently it’s 40 at best. They told my mum and dad when I was born I wouldn’t live beyond 20,” he said.

“It was a worrying time for my parents. To have a child born and something’s wrong is the worst thing you could ever go through. My dad still gets upset today when he talks about the day I was diagnosed.

“The fight and determination of my parents when I was younger was a major factor in me pulling through. In 1963 there was no internet or mobile phones, just books in the library. My mother wrote to medical experts to find out what she could about the condition. They have both been rocks to me.”

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition in which the lungs and digestive system become clogged with thick sticky mucus.

Mr Rudman’s daily medical routine is intense. In addition to taking more than 30 tablets a day, he also uses a nebuliser and must perform self-physiotherapy to clear his airways on a daily basis. Although it takes time, Mr Rudman credits the programme with keeping him alive for much longer than doctors’ predicted and insists it still enables him to live a full life.

“I work full-time and run a department store. I have a good circle of friends. I play bowls. I have a few greyhounds which I race in Romford. I have lots to occupy my time,” he said.

“Cystic fibrosis probably takes up three hours of my day through the self-treatment programme – that still leaves 21 hours a day for me.”

However, in the past, Mr Rudman has been critically ill many times. In 2010, he contracted swine flu and was hospitalised for a number of weeks. It was the closest he had come to losing his battle with the condition.

“I was at the lowest that I’d ever been and had to pick myself up. Every day I walked a few yards further than I did the previous day. It flattened me,” he said.

“I laid in a hospital bed and just walking to the toilet felt like running the London Marathon. You never think you’re going to get better.

“People were dying of swine flu who were well. You just keep going. You can’t give in because if you do you’ve had it. It’s the same with any condition. You have to keep battling and trying. I’ve got too much to live for.”

Mr Rudman said his close group of friends had been a pillar of strength during his darkest days particularly his best friend and former boss James.

“I have nothing but admiration for James. He has been so supportive all the way through as a boss and a friend,” he said.

“Both James and Neil put their bodies on the line to do this as they’re not cyclists. It’s above and beyond the call of duty. Not only are they helping me, they will directly help other sufferers.”

Professor Andrew Jones of the Manchester Adult Cystic fibrosis Centre at Wythenshaw Hospital said: “The Manchester Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre provides care for over 400 people in the North West, and is one of the largest specialist cystic fibrosis centres internationally.

“Keith has been a patient at our centre for a number of years. Keith and colleagues are raising a fantastic sum of money for our unit, which will support the care for all the patients who attend our centre.

“His devotion and drive to make the fundraising campaign a success is truly inspirational.”

You can buy Mr Rudman’s book directly from the Manchester Adult Cystic fibrosis Centre at Wythenshaw Hospital, from Beales Department or from www.cysticfibrosisbook.com