Why is our battle so important?
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Because 1 in every 5 people develop a lung condition in their lifetime. Many of them are struggling to access the care they desperately need and are left at home, scared, isolated and struggling to breathe.
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Because 36,000 preventable early deaths are attributed to air pollution every year. Poor air quality can impact children’s lung development while they are still in the womb, putting them at risk of serious health problems later on.
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Because here in the UK, we have one of the highest death rates due to lung conditions in Europe.
All of this needs to change – and we’re working tirelessly to make it happen.
Our battle for breath
In the UK, lung health care simply isn’t good enough.
Even before Covid-19, NHS hospital admissions for lung conditions were rising three times faster than average admissions.
Lung disease is now the third most common cause of death, costing the NHS more than £9 billion every year. We’re campaigning to make sure this issue is at the top of the health agenda.
People living with lung conditions are often overlooked and left behind. For some, just taking the first step and getting the correct diagnosis can be a real struggle. And even when they’re diagnosed, they’re not given the urgent care they need, when they need it most.
At Asthma + Lung UK we’re fighting alongside anyone affected by lung conditions – and their voices, their stories and their experiences inform everything we do.
A battle plan
By 2027 we aim to reduce deaths and ill-health caused by lung conditions by 20%. But to achieve this we’ll need to:
Prevent lung disease wherever we can
We fight for clean air, against smoking and to stop the injustice that lung disease hits the poorest hardest.
Diagnose lung disease earlier and more accurately
We improve public awareness of the symptoms of lung disease and develop ways to diagnose lung conditions better and faster.
Enable everyone to live well with a lung condition
We give the best possible support and information so people can stay well and out of hospital, and fight to make high-quality care a reality for all.
Drive life-changing research and innovation
We push to triple public funding in this area to £150 million each year. We’ll ensure no stone is left unturned to find better treatments and cures.
Our vision
We’re determined to bring about a revolution in treatment and support, so everyone can live their best lives.
How do we do this? Well, in two ways:
Firstly we inspire hope for a better future…
– Funding cutting edge research to transform treatments and find cures.
– Campaigning to make sure lung health diagnosis and care is prioritised by Government and NHS.
Secondly we bring help where it’s needed now…
– Listening and acting on people’s experiences, giving expert advice through our helpline and online information.
– Connecting people in communities. Making sure they have someone to talk to and the medical support they need.
But we can’t do this alone.
Let’s live and breathe this change together. Because we deserve more.
Join the fight!
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