The Team | Anders

Anders is a 29 year old living in Glasgow. As like his fellow LLTGL team members Emily, Emma and Oli; Anders was born with the genetic disease Cystic Fibrosis. It is through his activity in the CF community and his desire to raise awareness of Cystic Fibrosis that Anders became involved in Live Life Then Give Life.

In 2001, Anders graduated from Glasgow Caledonian with a BA 2i in Politics, his final year dissertation focused on the feasibility of an ‘opt out’ system for organ donor ship in the UK. Following his degree Anders worked for a short time as a Job Coach, which required working with people with learning difficulties and mental health issues. Leaving work due to ill health, he returned to studying and graduated in 2005 from the University of Glasgow with an MPhil in International Politics, receiving a Merit for his high standard of work. Anders has always enjoyed looking at the political side of health and in the future would be keen to work in this area.

In recent years, Anders has worked to raise awareness of issues affecting those with CF. He has campaigned in Scotland to exempt people with CF from prescription charges, this resulted in a motion being put forward in the Scottish Parliament. Anders is also in the process of developing a website for Adult Cystic Fibrosis sufferers in Scotland. He works closely with his local CF unit, editing the newsletter, raising funds and persevering to improve the unit for fellow CF patients. Whilst doing this Anders has also been active in the Scottish based CF charity the Butterfly Trust. In 2007 Anders was recognised for his charitable achievements and was nominated for CF Trust’s Breathing Life Awards.

Anders has done various media interviews in Scotland, including ‘Reporting Scotland’ and ‘The Unbuttoning your genes’ series for the BBC, Evening Times, Daily Record, Real Radio and has also written articles for ‘The Scotsman’ and commissioned by ‘The Times’.

Having lost many of his friends to CF and knowing that one day he’ll need a lung transplant to save his life, Anders is driven and determined to see an increase in organ donation and organ transplants. He, like many people across the UK will depend on the kindness and thoughtfulness of someone to extend his life.