Ciara Hanrahan (BSc Hons Physiotherapy, MSc Advancing Practice) is an academic and researcher in physiotherapy at University College Cork (UCC) in Cork, Ireland. She works within the Discipline of Physiotherapy in the School of Clinical Therapies at UCC, where she holds the position of Lecturer and is also pursuing a PhD. Ciara is a PhD candidate with research focused on chronic respiratory disease, physical activity, and behaviour change. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Physiotherapy and a MSc in Advancing Practice.

Ciara’s research primarily explores how behaviour change interventions can support physical activity in people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and other chronic respiratory conditions. Her research has been featured in UCC news for demonstrating that behaviour change interventions can improve physical activity and quality of life for people living with COPD. Her work contributes to advancing physiotherapy practices that combine clinical intervention with behaviour change principles to support healthier lifestyles for people with long-term respiratory conditions.

Ciara has been actively involved with COPD Support Ireland through both clinical community work and organisational leadership relating to support for people living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Ciara serves as a board member of COPD Support Ireland, the national charity that brings together local peer-support groups for people living with COPD across Ireland; she’s been on the board since 2019. Through her board role and clinical expertise, Ciara supports the charity’s mission of advocacy, peer support and practical programmes (such as peer support groups and tailored exercise classes) designed to help people with COPD live well despite their condition.

In her clinical role in Cork, Ciara worked extensively with people living with COPD, including delivering COPD outreach services in the community (for example through Mercy University Hospital’s COPD Outreach programme). She helped establish the first COPD support group on the northside of Cork City, aimed at people with COPD and their carers, working to create a space for peer support, information sharing and community engagement.