The Forum of the International Respiratory Societies (FIRS), which includes the European Respiratory Society (ERS), the American Thoracic Society (ATS), the American College of Chest Physicians, the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR), the Latin-American Thorax Association (ALAT) and IUATLD, declared 2010 to be the Year of the Lung, in an effort to increase the understanding of the importance and the impact of lung pathology, and also to stimulate measures to promote the respiratory health of citizens, namely through a preventive approach.
This initiative grew out of a triple perspective of Living (with healthy lungs), of Learning (raising awareness and fund-raising to combat respiratory disease) and Breathing (realizing how indispensible this preventive framework is).
In Portugal there have been a variety of activities, events and initiatives during the year, in direct response to the Editorial of the President of the ERS, Nikolaos Siafakas, in the March/April issue of the Portuguese Journal of Pulmonology with his challenge that “The Portuguese Pulmonologists are kindly invited to take part in this novel event”.
From all that was generated in this country by this global movement it seems only right to highlight two particular moments of great significance and impact; the campaign which ran from 14 October to 17 November and the closing event of the Year of the Lung, during the Annual Congress of the Portuguese Pulmonology Society (SPP).
Spirometry/COPD roadshowThe World Spirometry Day was celebrated for the first time on October 14.
The SPP embraced this concept by organizing a roadshow which took place in 14 cities in the continent, starting in Lisbon on October 14 and finishing on November 17, the World Day of COPD and of non-smoking, in the city of Porto.
Between these dates, pulmonologists, chest technicians and rehabilitation nurses, supervised by the co-ordinator of GOLD in Portugal, Paula Simão, worked with the general public partly through questionnaires and aiding the promotion of healthy breathing, but mainly by putting into practice spirometry, an increasingly important method in the early detection of this pathology.
At the time of writing this Editorial as many as 1000 studies taken place in the 2 chosen cities Lisbon and Faro! This success is surely just another important step in setting up the Spirometry Network and in this way contributing to the viability of a commitment, which is secure and obligatory, in the fight against a disease which looks like being one of the most serious respiratory problems in the years to come.
A great part of the credit for this success should go to Cristiano Ronaldo, who by allowing the use of his global image, which is closely associated with healthy and intense physical exercise and “an enviable pulmonary constitution” (Figure 1); enabled an impact that was equally global, enhancing the International Respiratory Society websites and planting a lasting footprint on the official site of this event, www.worldspirometryday.com
The final chapter of the European Year of the Lung
The official closing event of the European Year of the Lung took place during the 26th Pulmonology Congress and the 6th Luso-Brazilian Pulmonology Congress, in the presence of the two Presidents of the ERS for 2010, Nikolaos Siafakas and Marc Decramer.
This session which was transmitted online via the ERS electronic platform, consisted of a presentation about the global initiatives of FIRS by Nikolaos Siafakas, a report on the activities of the European Year of the Lung, by Marc Decramer and a description of all the related events of the year by Carlos Robalo Cordeiro, a moment of bonding, sharing and another opportunity for integration and affirmation of Portuguese Pulmonology in the international arena.
Of course there are many other events that could and should be mentioned, like the symbols of the Year of the Lung in Portugal, and it is only fair that due mention is made of the inclusion of the Portuguese Journal of Pulmonology in Elsevier; this resulted in a revolutionary process in the submission and revision of manuscripts which as from October 2010 can now be done online, http://www.ees.elsevier.com/rpp/. This will undoubtedly increase the efficiency of the whole editorial process, from submission to publication, which the Editorial Team of the Journal and the Board of the SPP are proud of.
In all, this has been a full year, full of work, but also of enthusiasm and hope, with the expectation that every year can be the Year of the Lung. 1
