Star Trek icon Leonard Nimoy stricken with serious lung disease

The 82-year-old actor revealed his delicate condition on Twitter and urged smokers to give up.

12:35 06 February 2014

Star Trek icon Leonard Nimoy has revealed on Twitter that he has serious lung disease which became apparent thirty years after he quit smoking. He also urged smokers to give up. 

 

The star who is famed for playing Spock in the hit sci-fi franchise wrote: “I quit smoking 30 years ago. Not soon enough. I have COPD. Grandpa says, quit now!! LLAP (live long and prosper).” 

 

COPD, which stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, narrows the sufferers’ airways and obstruct their breathing. The disease, which is typically caused by smoking is characterised by common symptoms which include breathlessness, persistent coughing, and frequent chest infections. 

 

The actor was recently photographed being wheeled through JFK airport using an oxygen cylinder. 

 

He retired in 2010 following his abdominal surgery but since made a number of TV and film appearances. He appeared on the hit science fiction thriller Fringe in 2012.