People with lung conditions and those who care for them can often feel alone. Making friends is important for people living with lung disease and Breathe Easy provides a good opportunity for that to happen.
The network includes groups that meet in many different towns and cities in the UK. Through events like the annual Breathe Easy Week, Breathe Easy also works hard to raise awareness of lung disease and the problems it can cause.
A brief history of Breathe Easy
Breathe Easy began in 1991 and was the aspiration of Trevor Clay, the first male General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing and a BLF Trustee.
Trevor was very aware of how isolating it could be to live with a lung condition as he himself had emphysema. He recognised the need for patients to come together for mutual support and advice, as well as the importance of patients and family/carers receiving information on lung health so that they would be better able to help themselves.
Trevor felt passionately that people should 'live with their lung condition' and not 'suffer from it.' To this end the Breathe Easy magazine was developed, providing information and news about lung health (this has since been replaced by Breathing Space magazine). The Breathe Easy support groups followed, allowing people to come together to share experiences and support each other. Trevor died in 1995 but his legacy of Breathe Easy continues to grow and help thousands of people live with their lung condition every day.
Campaigning for breathless people
Many people with lung disease, and their carers, face a daily battle to live a relatively normal life. Breathe Easy supporters strengthen the voice of everyone living with lung disease by lobbying local politicians and health authorities. They campaign to improve services and make people take lung disease seriously. Breathe Easy is represented on government bodies, and has had a real impact on services for people with lung disease.
If you would like to get involved in campaigning, please click here for more information.
Spare some time to help
There are many opportunities for volunteers to work with the British Lung Foundation and Breathe Easy.
If anyone would like to offer their time to help with a committee role or as a volunteer with a Breathe Easy Group committee, no qualifications needed, and just a few hours each month is all the commitment required. Perhaps you have some good contacts that would be willing to give a talk to the group or you have an outgoing personality and would be happy to welcome members at the meetings. You may not even have a lung condition, we are always looking for fit and active individuals to assist those less able, and may have a few hours to offer in your local area. Why not give us a call. Please contact BLF regional Office on 0117 300 4080
