Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is an umbrella term for a number of conditions including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It is a progressive, irreversible lung disease which kills around 30,000 people a year in the UK - more than breast, bowel or prostate cancer.
Early diagnosis of COPD is vital as it allows patients to take steps to slow down the progression of the disease, and live healthy lives for longer and avoid expensive emergency care. However, not enough patients are diagnosed early enough. There are an estimated 3.7 million people in the UK with COPD, yet only 900,000 people diagnosed with the disease. This leaves approximately 2.8 million people that are unaware they have the disease which, if left untreated, could severely restrict their lives and eventually kill them. These people are the ‘missing millions’ with COPD.
Get Involved
Each year the British Lung Foundation focuses its campaigning around World COPD Day, an annual event organised by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) to improve awareness and care of COPD around the world. This year, the British Lung Foundation's theme for World COPD Day is ‘Love your lungs’. The BLF is encouraging all smokers and ex smokers to ask their GP for a lung function test or to attend one of the BLF’s lung function testing events or Breathe Easy support group events which are taking place across the country.
You can publicise the campaign by downloading the campaign poster and displaying it in a prominent place such as your local GP surgery or by emailing your local MP about the campaign (England only).
World COPD Day Competition
You may also like to take part in our free competition to win a Luxury Harrods Hamper and Delicious magazine subscription. Click here to take part.
