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Breath of Life
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Breath of Life is a charity which fights respiratory conditions and lung disease in North Staffordshire. We help with funding for research into lung disease, provide respiratory equipment and help people to take care of their lungs.
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Welcome to the Breath of Life website where you can find the latest news on our projects, appeals and how we are helping to fight lung disease in North Staffordshire.
Breath of Life is based in Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire and is a registered charity which aims to reduce suffering from respiratory diseases. North Staffordshire has amongst the highest rates of lung disease in the UK and even though the area no longer relies on the traditional mining and manufacturing industries that may have contributed to lung disease in the past, the incidence of respiratory disease is still rising and is expected to do so for at least another 10 years.
We help people with all lung diseases: asthma, lung cancer, COPD (the umbrella term for conditions such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema), Cystic Fibrosis, TB, Sleep Apnoea and many other less common respiratory conditions.
Breath of Life funds research into the causes, prevention, diagnosis, cures and treatments of respiratory diseases. We also provide equipment for use in research and by patients, whether in hospitals, clinics, GP's surgeries or at home. We help people to take care of their lungs by giving advice and encouraging smoking cessation.
Our support for asthma patients includes part-funding the local arm of a piece of international research which pinpointed one of the genes that causes asthma. More recently we have supplied one of the first of a new generation of machines to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire to improve diagnosis and treatment of asthma in the area (see separate report)
We help children with lung disease and are currently raising funds so that youngsters with Cystic Fibrosis can have a more comfortable and homely stay in hospital when they have to remain in isolation for some time. We have recently provided funding so that babies and children can have the breathing monitors and equipment that they need to safeguard them at home. Lung cancer patients have recently benefited from two pulse oximeters that we donated to the Lung Cancer Team at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire and we have supplied a series of information leaflets for patients with COPD and lung cancer. Many more pieces of equipment that we have provided, such as spirometers, are used by patients with any respiratory problem.
Respiratory equipment does not always cost a huge amount of money and some of the equipment that makes a big difference can cost as little as £250. We are reliant on the generosity of local people, groups and businesses and the hard work of our volunteers to raise the funds we need. We aim to keep our overheads to a minimum and we employ just one part time administrator so that most of the money we raise goes directly to the projects we fund. On this site you can find many ways of helping us, from making a donation to joining our fundraising team. Please also use the "Contact us" page to tell us what you think is needed in this area to make life better for people with lung disease or call us on 01782 577124.
Thank you.
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