In December 2018 we went to parliament to launch the Taskforce’s five year plan.

People with lung disease gathered together with members of parliament, health care professionals and many others to discuss improving our nation’s lung health.

Our speakers included Jay Dowle, who spoke of the impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on his life and stressed the importance of increasing public awareness and understanding of lung disease.

Penny Woods, then Chief Executive of the British Lung Foundation, talked about the plan and set out its main recommendations.

James Brokenshire MP was treated for lung cancer in 2018. He talked about how important it was to get diagnosis right, so that everyone got the treatment they need. He said there was often a stigma attached to lung disease that acted as a barrier to access to appropriate help and support.

The journalist Robert Peston talked about losing his wife, Sian Busby, to lung cancer. He focussed on the need to ensure people received the right diagnosis when they first have symptoms. He also talked about environmental causes of poor lung health.

Professor Gina Radford, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, set out some of the measures the government was implementing to improve support for people with lung disease and talked about the inclusion of lung health in the NHS Long Term Plan.

We are delighted the Taskforce Plan has since gained the backing of around 65 members of parliament and 8 peers. It has also been discussed in a Lords debate led by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath in July 2019.