The 'Big Breaths' Campaign
Healthy lungs help us to feel younger, live longer, run faster, sing louder and kiss better - that’s the message that we hope campaigners all over the UK will promote during Breathe Easy week 2008 (16 – 22 June). 
The theme of this year's campaign is 'Big Breaths'.
This year the Big Breaths campaign will promote the benefits of lung health to young and old alike taking forward Point 2 of the BLF Charter (improved awareness of the causes, signs and symptoms of lung disease) and Point 8 (Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Exercise). We’ve called it ‘Big Breaths’ because we want everyone to be able to take big breaths by looking after their lungs and making the most of the lung capacity they have.
During the week we will be presenting the thousands of signatures collected in support of the BLF Charter to 10, Downing Street. We will also be asking celebrities to wear the ‘Big Breaths’ T shirt and fundraising events will take on the ‘Big Breaths’ challenge.
If you’re having an event or an awareness stand to promote Breathe Easy Week, send us a photograph of your local celebrity, MP or respiratory nurse wearing the Big Breaths T shirt and we’ll put it on this website. The best photo wins a prize! To send your photos to us please click here.
The ability to take Big Breaths is important. Most people don’t realize how fragile their lungs are or how many ways they can damage them. Outdoor and indoor air pollution, infections, exposure to smoke can all harm our lungs. Once they are damaged, they can’t be repaired.
To keep lungs as healthy as possible we want people to follow the BLF’s new Airway Code – a ten point plan to promote lung health and make sure you can take Big Breaths. A healthy diet is important – being overweight means your heart and lungs have to work harder to get oxygen around your body. It’s also important to stay smoke free, keep germs at bay by keeping away from people with coughs and colds and washing your hands regularly. Also avoid dust and fumes and be aware of the dangers of exposure to materials like asbestos. A key part of the Airway Code is exercise, because exercise trains your lungs to provide your muscles with the oxygen they need.
The Airway Code is equally important for people with lung disease. People with obstructive lung diseases like COPD or restrictive diseases like pulmonary fibrosis find that their lungs can’t do their job properly – they’re unable to provide enough oxygen to their muscles and this is what makes them breathless. While it’s impossible to restore lung function that has been lost, it is possible to improve the lung’s ability to use oxygen more efficiently. Exercising will mean you will take bigger breaths, get more oxygen to your muscles and build up strength in all your muscles so you don’t get so breathless.
“Big breaths give our bodies the oxygen they need,” says BLF Head of Public Affairs Jill Morrell. “If we protect our lungs by following the Airway Code we can make the most of the lung capacity we have and help to prevent respiratory illness in future.”
You can support the Big Breaths campaign by downloading the Breathe Easy Week campaigning materials including a campaigning guide which includes template press releases and a template invitation to invite your local politician to your event, Big Breaths poster, Airway Code poster and evaluation form about your event.
