Bridget Fox shows support for British Lung Foundation's Election Manifesto

12.57.01am GMT Thu 4th Feb 2010

Bridget Fox at the Breathe Easy group: discussing how the next Government can help people with lung disease in Islington.

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Campaigner for Islington South & Finsbury, Bridget Fox met with Breathe Easy Islington, a part of the British Lung Foundation's support network for people affected by lung disease to show her support for the British Lung Foundation Election Manifesto on Wednesday 3rd February 2010 at Bingfield Health Centre, Islington.

The manifesto highlights the 9 challenges the British Lung Foundation would like to see the next Government tackle. Some of these include:

• Making resources available for the full implementation of the clinical strategy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

• The inclusion of a simple lung function test within the NHS Healthcheck

• Ensuring that more patients with lung cancer are considered for surgical resection

• Improving the lung health of children in the UK

Bridget Fox, Parliamentary Campaigner for Islington South & Finsbury said: "I was very pleased to be invited to meet with

Breathe Easy Islington to discuss their campaigning priorities for the next Government and to welcome the British Lung Foundation's manifesto."

Carol Forsdyke, Chairperson of Breathe Easy Islington said: "We are delighted that Bridget Fox was able to come down to our Breathe Easy Group meeting and show support for the British Lung Foundation's Manifesto. With eight million people affected by lung disease it is vital that the next Government work to improve care for people affected by lung disease."

Notes to Editors

1. The British Lung Foundation is the only UK charity working for everyone affected by lung disease. The charity focuses its resources on providing support for people affected by lung disease today; and works in a variety of ways (including funding world-class research) to bring about positive change, to improve treatment, care and support for people affected by lung disease in the future.

It provides information via the website www.lunguk.org and telephone helpline 08458 50 50 20.

2. In 2006 the charity launched a membership scheme with the aim of recruiting the 8 million people with lung disease in the UK and anyone with an interest in lung disease.

3. One person in every seven in the UK is affected by lung disease - this equates to approximately 8 million people

4. Respiratory disease is the second biggest killer in the UK (117,456 deaths in 2004) after all non-respiratory cancers combined which only account for slightly more deaths (122,500 deaths in UK in 2004)

5. Respiratory disease now kills one in five people in the UK

6. The UK's death rate from respiratory disease is almost double the European average and the 6th highest in Europe

7. Respiratory disease is the most commonly reported long term illness in children and the third most commonly reported in adults. One in 7 boys and 1 in 8 girls aged 2 - 15 report having long term respiratory illness in England