POWERED BY BREATHING FOR 75 YEARS

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1 POWERED BY BREATHING FOR 75 YEARS Annual report 2015/2016

2 Our Vision To create a world free of lung disease Our Mission We raise money and provide funding for research and prevention of lung disease and patient support For 75 years The Lung Association, Alberta & NWT has been dedicated to its mission of promoting and improving lung health for all Albertans and residents in the Northwest Territories. We are a non-profit and volunteer-based health charity that raises funds supporting lung health research, prevention, and to support patients with lung disease. The Lung Association movement in Alberta began in the 1930s to control the spread of tuberculosis (TB) and provide better services for TB patients. Today, The Lung Association, Alberta & NWT focuses on all issues that affect the ability of Albertans and residents in the Northwest Territories to breathe: from asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), healthy air, support groups, research, smoking prevention, cessation and advocacy. Through our network of passionate lung health researchers, health professionals, volunteers and supporters, we are driven to raise funds for local and national efforts that contribute to and promote lung health. To read more about how we celebrated our 75th anniversary, check out Page 5.

3 Message from Tom Watts 2014 was a stellar year for The Lung Association, Alberta & NWT, it was our 75th Anniversary, an important milestone for us! We have been supporting Albertans and residents in the Northwest Territories with lung disease for such a long time. Our fight began in 1939 with the need to support Albertans with tuberculosis, while TB has been all but eradicated, other lung diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are on the increase. Awareness both of lung disease and the organization continues to be top of mind for us. We worked hard this year increasing awareness through our Powered by Breathing campaign and a variety of activities held in Fort McMurray, Lethbridge, Calgary and Edmonton as well as other locations. We asked Albertans what they would do if they could breathe better, and encouraged them through a quick lung health questionnaire to think about their lung health and seek help from their physician if issues were identified. We reached more than 100,000 Albertans during the year and we hope as we continue to focus on better breathing for Albertans through funding of research, prevention and support this number will increase. Over 600,000 Albertans are suffering from lung disease right now and many more have not yet been diagnosed. We need to reduce this number to prevent lung disease from rising to first place as the number one cause of deaths in Canada. I am looking forward to the challenges and success of the next year and the years beyond that as we strive to eradicate lung disease. Tom Watts 2014 Board Chair 3

4 Why we have mattered for the last 75 years TOBACCO Tobacco use remains the greatest preventable cause of death and disease. It is the leading cause of death from lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Yet, despite years of public education, smoke free legislation, tax increases, advertising and sales restrictions and more, almost five million Canadians aged 15 and older (16 per cent) are still smoking. COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is the fourth leading killer of Canadians and rates in Alberta are continuing to grow. Roughly 82,000 Albertans are living with COPD a number that has grown by 15 per cent since 2012, according to Statistics Canada. The disease also has a higher hospitalization rate and a higher hospital re-admission rate than heart failure, angina, and other serious chronic diseases. Yet, the majority of Albertans and residents in the Northwest Territories don t know what COPD is, whether they re at risk, or how to get tested. ASTHMA Canada has one of the highest asthma rates in the world and in Alberta rates are continuing to grow as more than 290,000 in this province are living with asthma. Asthma is the most common on-the-job disease, the third leading cause of lost work time, and the leading cause of school absenteeism and hospitalization for children. Though effective medications and treatment is available, many children and adults still do not effectively manage their asthma. LUNG CANCER Lung cancer is the deadliest of all cancers. While smoking is the main cause, a significant portion of cases (10 to 15 per cent) occur in people who never smoked a day in their lives. Researchers have identified a number of other possible causes; the best known is second-hand smoke. Radon gas and asbestos exposure are also known causes. In addition, environmental pollution and genetic factors are believed to play a role. An estimated 2,100 Albertans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetimes an estimated 1,620 Albertans will die from lung cancer. SLEEP APNEA Statistics show that 26 per cent of Canadian adults aged 18 years and older are at high risk of sleep apnea, one of the most seriously under-diagnosed chronic respiratory conditions today. Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious breathing problem that interrupts one s sleep. Those affected stop breathing dozens or even hundreds of times each night. Left untreated, the consequences can be life-threatening. People with sleep apnea are at a higher risk for heart attacks and strokes, high blood pressure, depression and memory loss; and they re seven times more likely to have a car crash. AIR QUALITY We breathe 20,000 times a day, passing 10,000 litres of air through our lungs and much of that air we breathe contains air pollutants. Even so, convincing Albertans and residents in the Northwest Territories to take air pollution seriously is difficult, particularly if we rely on comparisons to cities and countries with even worse problems. Yet, the evidence is clear: air pollution is an important public health issue, both in terms of the number of people affected and the range of diseases associated with it. TUBERCULOSIS Despite the low incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in Canada, 1,600 new cases are reported every year. Worldwide, close to 9 million people develop active TB each year and 1.4 million will die. If not treated, each person with active TB infects on average 10 to 15 others. TB tends to travel into Canada as people travel back and forth to high incidence countries, with the majority of all new TB cases in Canada occurring in people born outside the country and Aboriginal Peoples years of being powered by breathing

5 Breathing strong for 75 years It was quite a year to celebrate for the Lung Association, Alberta & NWT in With 2014 being The Lung Association's 75th anniversary, staff and volunteers visited a number of communities across Alberta to offer breathing tests to Albertans our goal was 75,000 and we surpassed that by reaching more than 100,000. In communities like Camrose, Fort McMurray, and Lethbridge, The Lung Association offered spirometry tests, along with a piece of anniversary cake, to thousands of Albertans as a way to celebrate its important milestone. Our story began during the 1930s when tuberculosis was at epidemic levels across Canada. Community leaders across Alberta undertook the work of raising funds to help patients and their families stricken by this debilitating lung disease. The work accomplished by these dedicated volunteers who raised money by selling Christmas Seals despite the Great Depression was the groundwork for what The Lung Association is today. We celebrated those accomplishments in 2014 with many, including a visit to the Alberta Legislature in November to give out celebratory cake and spirometry tests to Alberta politicians. It was an important day for The Lung Association as patients and their caregivers as well as medical professionals spoke to members of Alberta s Legislative Assembly about the importance of lung health to raise awareness about lung disease in Alberta. 5

6 Breathing can be empowering Supporters of The Lung Association, Alberta & NWT have been powered by breathing for the last 75 years starting with Christmas Seals back in 1939 to today. In 2014 they stepped up in a big way by helping with fundraising initiatives like the ArtWorks for Lung Health, Sweepstakes, Lung Research, and Christmas Seals campaigns just to name a few. During the 2014 Christmas Seals campaign, close to $600,000 was raised to help find new treatments and cures for lung diseases like COPD, asthma, and lung cancer. Other groups have also helped in the fight against lung disease by holding their own fundraising event to support The Lung Association including a group of passionate barrel racers in Ponoka. The first annual Lyle Norn Memorial Barrel Racing Series was held in Ponoka last spring to remember a passionate volunteer who died from COPD at the age of 67. We believe if we raise significantly more money for research, The Lung Association can do more to help others breathe better, said Norn s granddaughter, Kaylee-Jo Henkelman who is already planning a second event in Residents in the small town of Tofield, a small community 84 km east of Edmonton, not only celebrated Canada Day on July 1 they also raised money to help out with research, prevention, and support for patients who are suffering from lung disease. Organized by Tofield s volunteer fire department, firefighters flipped burgers to raise money for The Lung Association. Community events like these provide crucial support for The Lung Association not only do they engage the community and increase awareness, but the funds raised go to help those who need it most years of being powered by breathing

7 Highlights 2014 EDUCATING HOMEOWNERS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF RADON The advice is simple and it will save your life. The Lung Association, Alberta & NWT spent the winter months touring Alberta to educate homeowners about the dangers of radon gas. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer and the best way to protect your family s health is by testing your home for radon gas. BECOMING POWERED BY BREATHING What would you do if you could breathe better? The Lung Association asked that question to thousands of Albertans at trade shows and farmers markets in cities and towns across the province to make people think about their breathing. Albertans were also asked five key questions about their lung health, including whether or not that person coughed regularly. If that person answered yes to any of the questions they were then asked to take a spirometry test a simple breathing test used to test someone s breathing capacity. Early diagnosis for illnesses like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is imperative as doctors can use better treatments to reduce symptoms, as well as preventing the illness from getting any worse. 7

8 FUNDING WEAPONS TO FIGHT LUNG DISEASE Fulfilling its ongoing role to fund cutting edge research and change lives, The Lung Association, Alberta & NWT granted hundreds of thousands of dollars to research. One example is funding work being done at the University of Calgary where Dr. Mark Giembycz is studying how existing and in-developmental stage drugs can help treat asthma, an illness that is the leading cause of emergency room visits for children in Alberta and Canada. He is also studying how those drugs may benefit patients who are suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) along with other diseases. It may seem kind of bizarre, but even though drug companies make drugs that are effective for certain individuals, many of the drugs seem to work without us understanding the mechanism, said Giembycz. Similarly, University of Calgary s Dr. Margaret Kelly, is hoping work done in her lab could help discover a new treatment for asthma by studying how a patient s airways react during an asthma attack. In a number of studies, Kelly says her team has confirmed that myrofibroblast cells cells that are usually seen in a patient s skin when a wound heals are present in asthmatic s airways. This research is key to finding better solutions. Every 20 minutes a child is admitted to hospital for asthma finding better treatments is necessary to prevent these visits. SUPPORTING A BAN ON FLAVOURED TOBACCO Lloydminster student Jianna Marin and others urged Alberta s government to ban the sale of flavoured tobacco. The Lung Association, Alberta & NWT was successful by teaming up with other organizations and Alberta students like Marin to make sure new measures to protect kids was proclaimed last fall. Alberta youth are the primary target of flavoured tobacco products, said Marin. The Alberta government can protect Alberta youth and bring this shameful practise to an end by enacting Bill 206 without delay or exemptions. The Lung Association and its partners are continuing to work with Alberta s government to include a full ban of flavoured tobacco a measure that includes menthol tobacco products years of being powered by breathing

9 BREATHING TOGETHER IN ALBERTA S CAPITAL There was a lot of heavy breathing happening at the Alberta Legislature Nov. 21 and it had nothing to do with Question Period. The Lung Association, Alberta & NWT and volunteers offered up free breathing tests to MLAs as a way to celebrate the organization s 75th anniversary. It was also a chance to meet with Alberta politicians to raise awareness about the prevalence and related implications of lung disease in Alberta. Leigh Allard, The Lung Association's President and CEO, said the day was extremely successful and it was a chance to celebrate joint efforts made by The Lung Association and the government to eliminate lung disease. CLIMBING TO THE TOP: STAIRCLIMB FOR CLEAN AIR Step by step, more than 80 participants at the second annual Boardwalk Rental Communities StairClimb for Clean Air helped raise thousands of dollars March 23 for important lung health research and support programs. The money raised will help The Lung Association, Alberta & NWT continue to fund important work in finding new cures and treatments for lung illnesses like asthma, sleep apnea, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as crucial support programs for out-of-town transplant recipients who must stay in Edmonton for at least four months before, during, and after their surgeries. FINDING SUPPORT FOR PATIENTS The Lung Association, Alberta & NWT reached out to communities across the province in cities like Fort McMurray and Camrose to help find support for patients. Those efforts resulted in launching a Powered By Breathing patient support group in Red Deer to help those who are struggling to breathe everyday. Mac Dunbar, a 70-year-old retired chemical engineer, believes he would not have access to the help he needs for his debilitating lung illness if it wasn t for the group. Dunbar, who was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in 2004, has taken part in the new support group weekly. When you have a debilitating disease, you really need to talk to somebody who is in the same boat as you to get some idea of what form (this illness) could take, said Dunbar. Up until this support group was created, I didn t really know anybody else who had diagnosed lung issues. Being able to meet others and discuss challenges provides lung disease sufferers with important social contact and support. 9

10 Helping patients with lung disease David Wheadon can now breathe easier after a successful doublelung transplant surgery, and The Lung Association, Alberta & NWT was able to help him on his long road to recovery. The 55-year-old millwright worker was diagnosed with emphysema in 2002 a chronic long-term disease that damages tiny air sacs inside the lungs making it hard to breathe. This illness gets progressively worse, as was the case for Wheadon who spent the last few years attached to oxygen bottles. After 2008, when he collapsed at work, his situation became critical, said Wheadon. I was on 10 litres of oxygen (a day) just to move, just to walk, just to do anything in daily living, said Wheadon. In February 2014, Wheadon had his lung transplant and says it took him a long time to get comfortable without having an oxygen bottle attached to him 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Now, I don t even miss it there are no more oxygen bottles in my house, said Wheadon, now powered by breathing, thanking The Lung Association, Alberta & NWT for providing support before, during and after his surgery. I have my freedom back. I can do anything I can go up and down stairs with no problems. Lung-transplant patients from all over Western Canada come to Edmonton for the complicated surgeries and must stay in Alberta s capital city for at least five months. Along with offering guidance to those patients, The Lung Association, Alberta & NWT offers some assistance with funds raised from The Lung Association's generous supporters. They give you support just by talking to you, said Wheadon about The Lung Association. You know they re there if you need to call. THE LUNG ASSOCIATION BY THE NUMBERS: How money is raised: Gaming revenue: 9% Government Grants: 10% Fundraising donations: 81% 81% 9% 10% How every dollar is spent: Administration expenses: 14 Fundraising expenses: 24 Gaming expenses: 12 Services and programs: 39 Research programs: For detailed information about financials from The Lung Association, Alberta & NWT, go to You can also call LUNG (5864) to request to have a financial report mailed to you years of being powered by breathing

11 Get involved There are so many ways supporters can get involved with The Lung Association, Alberta & NWT. Here are a few suggestions: Go to our website at Follow us on Twitter Find us on Facebook at Write to us: The Lung Association, Alberta & NWT P.O. Box 4500, Station South Edmonton, Alberta Send us an at info@ab.lung.ca Donate today! Your support will help us with research, prevention and support for patents patients and their families who are suffering from lung related illnesses. Here are a few ways on how to support lung health in Alberta and the Northwest Territories: Making cheques payable to The Lung Association, Alberta & NWT and drop it off by visiting our office at: The Lung Association, Alberta & NWT 208, Stony Plain Road NW Edmonton, Alberta T5S 1K6 Donate by calling or toll free at LUNG (5864) Donate online by visiting The Lung Association, Alberta & NWT is a registered charity. We automatically provide charitable receipts for any gift of $15 or more. However, upon request, we will provide a receipt for a gift of less than $15. 11

12 Executive Board of Directors: Tom Watts, CHAIR Kate Hurlburt, PAST CHAIR Paul Borrett, VICE CHAIR Evangeline Berube, TREASURER Chuck Meagher, SECRETARY Directors: Richard Shuhany Kimberly Ziprick Stefan Scott Anne Marie Downey Lee Elliott Cathy Good Dr. Harissios Vliagoftis, Thoracic Network of Alberta and the Northwest Territories ( TNANT ) Representative Clinical Dr. David Proud, TNANT Representative Research Julie Gaalaas, TNANT Allied Health Representative or toll free at LUNG (5864) info@ab.lung.ca