2020 will be remembered for coronavirus (COVID-19) and a year in which the very fabric of our way of life has been transformed. For our community the irony of a respiratory virus attacking the lungs and wreaking havoc on bodies, hospital systems, economies and our way of life, both here and across the world, is not lost.
Following the terrible Australian summer of bushfires that effected the breathing of millions and now COVID-19, every Australian is more acutely aware than ever of the importance of having healthy lungs. We pay our respects to those who have lost their lives and give thanks to the health professionals, and other essential service workers, who are taking care of our nation’s health at this time.
We understand these are very anxious times for people living with chronic and rare lung diseases or lung cancer. We encourage you to find a new normal, make sure you are proactive in keeping your appointments, connecting with loved ones and looking after your emotional and physical wellbeing in equal measures.
Whilst our face-to-face services have been put on hold, we are still here for you and we urge you and your family to reach out in this new virtual world to connect with our support programs, and with each other. The wonderful strength of Lung Foundation Australia has always been you, our community, and by caring for each other we will prevail.
Our commitment remains the same – we offer hope. We are here to help you lead the best life you can by connecting you and your loved ones to support and care, linking you to life-saving clinical trials and supporting active participation in lung health research. All the while we continue to raise awareness of lung diseases and lung cancer and advocate for a fairer share of investment in treatments and research.
2020 is our 30th Anniversary and we had planned a year of celebrations to acknowledge all those supporters, both past and present, who contribute to making Lung Foundation Australia a success. We have postponed these celebrations to another day so we can focus on providing you high-quality information and supporting you through this pandemic.
At a time when so many Australians need a strong and proactive Lung Foundation Australia, we find ourselves under enormous pressure to keep up with the enquiries and sadly, address the financial reality of coronavirus which has resulted in over $1.2 million in fundraising losses. We need you now more than ever to renew your membership or donate what you can to keep our services and research agenda going. Together, we can weather the storm and start on the road to recovery.
Please take care of yourself and your loved ones in the months ahead and reach out to us for support.
To contact our Information and Support Centre please call 1800 654 301.