
Think of four people close to you. One of them is likely to be affected by lung disease in their lifetime. There are over 30 different types of lung disease currently impacting one in four men, women and children across Australia. It is our nation’s second leading cause of death, taking more lives than dementia and diabetes, yet it receives very little publicity, funding, research or support. There is currently no cure for the majority of lung diseases and the impact on the lives of those affected is devastating. This is only intensified by the unfair stigma associated with lung disease which contributes to significant delays in diagnosis and inadequate access to treatment and care. Lung disease is one of the highest health burdens in our country. More needs to be done. It’s time for tackling lung disease to be a national health priority.