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Peer Support Overview

A lung disease or lung cancer diagnosis can result in a range of emotions, which can affect your overall wellbeing. Peer support can become an integral and helpful part of your life during this time or at any stage of your journey. It can be immensely therapeutic to talk with others who are experiencing a similar situation as you – for patients and carers alike. You deserve to receive the support you need to navigate through your emotions and live the best life possible. Lung Foundation Australia invites you to learn more about our peer support programs and about the benefits of giving and receiving support.

 What is peer support?

Peer support is unique because it is support provided by people that have similar experiences. This makes it a specialised knowledge that only people with a lived experience can bring.  It cannot be taught or learned; it has to be lived.

It can take place in person, over the telephone or online; between two people, or within a small group or large group.

What is the role of peer support?

Through personal experiences, people participating in peer support may develop expertise in making choices and taking control to enable them to live the best life they can.  Peer support is mutually beneficial as it empowers both the people giving and receiving information and support.

Peer support may:

  • Contribute to giving people hope, which can lead to confidence, self-esteem and ultimately autonomy
  • Help to combat feelings of isolation by connecting people in similar situations and building networks
  • Complement formal supports that people receivethrough medical services.

Why Lung Foundation Australia values peer support? 

Peer support aligns with Lung Foundation Australia’s mission to improve lung health and reduce the impact of lung disease for all Australians by supporting those with lung disease and their carers.

Models of peer support

Lung Foundation is working to enhance our peer support models and provide evidence that peer support programs are a valued service in their own right. Currently Lung Foundation Australia is involved with three different models of peer support across a range of lung conditions. To find out more about the models of peer support and the lung conditions they support, please click on the links below

Join our webinar community
Lung Foundation Australia is hosting an Understanding COVID-19 webinar series in addition to our ‘Live Well, Breathe Better’ webinar series. We encourage our peer support community to come together online to participate in live Q&A sessions and hear practical ideas for navigating through this time of physical distancing. Learn more about our webinar series by following the link below.
Find out more

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