Dave will step out in memory of his wife

The tribute comes following the death of his wife Sandra two and a half years after she underwent a double lung transplant.

Mr Lister, 52, of High Trees, Broadmayne, joined in a bed push on Weymouth seafront by the Dorset Breathe Easy Group to raise funds and awareness in early August.

Now he has appealed for sponsorship to raise hundreds of pounds for patients with breathing problems from a seven-mile sponsored walk at Harefield Hospital in Middlesex in early September.

Mr Lister said: "The transplant gave Sandra another two and a half years with a better quality of life. She was living a life again after being in a wheelchair.

"We have joined in the event at Harefield Hospital for the past three years but this will my first one without her. It is billed as a fun run, but many people walk it."

Mrs Lister, who was a former teacher, suffered from a form of genetic emphysema and had a double lung transplant at Harefield Hospital in November 2000.

She had three children with Mr Lister - Richard, 22, Andrew, 20, and Michael, 18 - and used to join in the Dorset Breathe Easy fundraisers.

She died in January of this year after suffering complications with the transplant.

Mr Lister, who is treasurer of Breathe Easy, hopes the group will have raised £1,000 from the bed push.

He said: "People with breathing problems need the public's support and help."

Mr Lister, who works for the elata Ltd software firm in Poole, added: "People with breathing difficulties do not always look ill. They may have disabled badges on their cars and others think that there is nothing wrong with them.

"But if they had to walk they would be gasping for breath just 20 to 30 metres up the road."

Roger King, from Breathe Easy, added: "Our thanks to everyone that supported the bed push, especially Bernard Parker who brought the bed."

To sponsor Mr Lister send cheques payable to 'HHJF', which stands for the Harefield Hospital Jog Fund, at 10 High Trees, Broadmayne, DT2 8ER.