In 2024, Lung Foundation Australia’s 40-year mission to be a world leading, innovative and effective lung health charity continues thanks to our community of people living with or impacted by lung disease or lung cancer, and the healthcare professionals and organisations that treat them.
This year, our impact has been realised through sustained advocacy with Australia’s new e-cigarette and vaping reforms. In 2019 we called out the need for strong reform to stop a new generation of young people becoming smokers. These laws are considered some of the most advanced in the world, thanks to the concerted efforts of our community to save the next generation from the insidious addiction.
This year with the government’s ban on the use and importation of engineered stone, Australia now also stands as a leader in the fight against silicosis, making a noticeable impact on the lives of 600,000 Australian workers.
With the launch of Australia’s Cancer Plan and our leadership in lung cancer policy, last year we celebrated the announcement of the National Lung Cancer Screening Program. This year, we worked alongside government and community agencies to ensure its readiness, developing new materials and education resources, representing participants in the program to make its arrival as seamless as possible for patients and
healthcare professionals alike.
Our programs have expanded, with more than 20 Specialist Lung Cancer Nurses improving the quality of care across Australia. People unable to access this service in-person are supported by our Telehealth Specialist Lung Cancer Nurses, which received a multimillion-dollar investment by the Australian Government in 2024.
Our commitment to lung disease research continues with $2.01m invested this year through our Hope Research Fund, made possible by you.