and the air you breathe

S U M M E R 2 0 1 4

Diesel’s got a bigdownside p.5

These moms know when to quit p.8

100% smoke-free strata?Oh, yes. It can be done. p.6

Send the greatest amount of your gift directly into vital community programs and research

It’s the best way to give. By signing up for our monthly giving plan, you’ll help us reduce our costs by saving paper and postage for donation requests, meaning more of your dollar will go where it is needed most.

Register now by calling 1‑800‑665‑5864

Breathe EasyMonthly

Giving Plan

Your HealthSummer 2014

British Columbia Lung Association 2675 Oak Street Vancouver, BC V6H 2K2

Tel: 604 731 5864

Toll-free: 1 800 665 5864

Fax: 604 731 5810

info@bc.lung.ca

www.bc.lung.ca

StaffPresident & CEO: Scott McDonald

Editor: Katrina van Bylandt

Contributing Writer/Editor: Emily Wall

Layout & Design: Matthew Shettler

Medical Advisory Committee:Dr. Robert Schellenberg, UBC Pulmonary Research Lab,

St. Paul’s Hospital (Chair)

Dr. Patricia Daly, Chief Medical Health Officer, Vancouver

Coastal Health

Dr. Victoria Cook, BC Centre for Disease Control

Dr. J. Mark FitzGerald, UBC Respiratory Medicine, VGH

Dr. John Fleetham, UBC Respiratory Medicine, VGH

Dr. Darlene Reid, Div. Of Physical Therapy, UBC

Dr. Jeremy Road, UBC Respiratory Division, VHSSC

Dr. David Speert, BC Research Centre

Executive Committee:Dr. Peter Paré, Chair

Mr. Ash Dhanani, Vice-Chairperson

Dr. Kevin Elwood, Honourary Treasurer

Mr. Dan BoudreaultMr. Gary ChappleMr. Tom DeSorcyMr. Mike EllisMr. Richie GageMr. Doug HillMr. Walter HuebertMrs. Marilyn LawrenceMr. Scott MarshallMr. Keith MurrayDr. Robert Schellenberg

bc.lung.ca 3

Important Dates

September 2014 Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) Month

September 6 & 7 The 30th Annual Bicycle Trek for Life & Breath bicycletrek.ca

November Lung Cancer Awareness Month

November 19 World COPD Day (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)

January 19 – 24th National Non-Smoking Week

March 1 Climb the Wall: The Stairclimb for Clean Air stairclimb.ca

Non-profi t organizations wouldn’t exist without volunteers, and the BC Lung Association is no exception.

Our volunteers provide critical support that helps us

to carry out our mission of promoting lung health

and preventing lung disease. We simply couldn’t

do what we do without them. We’re particularly

lucky to have a stable core of devoted in-house

volunteers, some of whom have been with us

for more than 20 years. Meet Mina Eng, our staff

volunteer coordinator as well as a few of our

cherished volunteers above.

Sing has been volunteering with us for 23 years,

helping with work related to our Christmas Seal

and other campaigns and providing valued

administrative support to our special events team.

Never without a smile or a kind word, Sing says it

is because of the Lung Association’s ‘family feel’ he

has remained with us all these years.

Jean is one of our newer volunteers. She

approached the BC Lung Association after her

father passed away from lung cancer.

Searching for a way to give back, Jean felt at home

with us and has been donating hours of volunteer

time every week since.

And next to Jean is Nida who joined the team

after retiring from a career in operations at the BC

Childrens’ Hospital and has contributed countless

hours of volunteer support for the past 14 years.

In addition to Sing, Nida and Jean, hundreds of

others give generously of their time throughout

the year, and we are deeply grateful to each and

every one.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of our annual Bicycle Trek for Life and Breath — our biggest annual fundraiser. We can’t promise every weekend will be awesome. Just this one! bicycletrek.ca

The heart of our team

“We have many people

who give generously of

their time and talents

as volunteers, and

we are deeply

grateful.”Scott McDonaldCEO, BC Lung Association

Left to right: Sing, Mina, Jean and Nida

4 Your Health — Summer 2014

I’m 37 and I’m a TB survivor. I say survivor because after TB, I defi nitely feel like

one. I was born and raised in Vancouver and I’m of South Asian and Indonesian descent. I’ve travelled

to many countries, but that’s not how I got TB. I have no idea how I got it, nor do my doctors. I do know

TB completely changed my life.

Until I got TB, I was always very healthy.

I never had the � u, seldom even a cold. In

fact, I’ve always been energetic and athletic.

But in 2011, everything changed.

It all began in March, when I was admitted to

Emergency with dif� culty breathing. They did

blood work, a physical assessment, and chest

x-rays — but everything came back normal

and I was discharged after a couple of hours.

Then in May, while I was on vacation, I

ended up back in hospital. I couldn’t

breathe. I had dif� culty climbing even a

� ight of stairs. This time they diagnosed me

with viral pneumonia and � uid in my left

lung. I was told the � uid would resolve itself

but it didn’t. Instead it increased, and in

June I returned to have it drained.

Over the next six months I lost 40 lbs, suffered

constant night sweats, had trouble breathing

and had no energy — all typical TB symptoms.

Finally, in August, I was referred to a

respirologist. He performed a bronchoscopy

(a procedure that allows the doctor to look

inside your lungs’ airways). And from there

I was referred to the Vancouver TB Clinic.

They thought I may have TB, but in my

lymph nodes, not my lungs.

The nine months that followed were the

most challenging in my life. Having to take

9 pills a day, work full-time, take care of 2

children, go for weekly blood tests, bi-weekly

doctor’s appointments, and attend grad

school at the same time is something I’ll

never forget.

Yes, TB is curable but it’s also seriously

debilitating and affects every facet of your

life for a very long time.

Now that I’m TB-free and my symptoms

are gone, you might think I’d had enough of

TB; but since recovering I decided to make

TB the focus of my professional life. Today I

work to stop TB as a Public Health Manager

at the BC Centre for Disease Control.

As harrowing as my experience was, I’m lucky.

The majority of TB patients live in parts of the

world where the disease is more rampant, and

where sufferers have less access to treatment

and care. My story had a happy ending, but

many, many more do not.

Manav Gill: TB Survivor

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial disease that usually attacks the lungs, but can attack other parts of the body such as kidneys, spine and brain.

TB is spread when a person with TB disease coughs, sneezes, sings or shouts.

About 90% of those infected with TB bacteria will not develop active TB disease — they’re carriers and have latent TB.

90%never active

10%SYMPTOMS

1,600Canadians /year

NINEmi�ion

g0od news

Only 10% of those with latent TB develop symptoms later in life.

TB symptoms include: fever, night sweats, cough that lasts 3+ weeks, fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite.

Testing for TB infection is easy – it involves a skin test or a TB blood test.

SKINTEST

If the skin or blood test is positive, then further testing is done to determine if the person has latent TB or TB disease.

Every year about 1,600 Canadians are diagnosed with TB disease.

Every year there are an estimated 9 million new cases of TB and 1.3 million deaths worldwide.

Latent TB is not contagious.

What you need to know

For more information, visit bc.lung.ca or call

The Lung Association at 1-800-665-5864.

state of the air

BC

LU

NG

AS

SO

CIA

TIO

N

2014

Celebrating the Clean Air Month of June

CO

NTENTS Diesel Particulate Matter :

What are the Implications for B.C.

Health Impacts and Reducing Emissions from Heavy Diesel Trucks

Diesel Particles and Their Effects on Exercise

Pollution Levels: How Does B.C. Measure Up?

A Report: 2014 Air Quality and Health Workshop

Trends: Air Pollution in B.C. Through the Years

News From Partner Agencies

Collaborative Initiatives

Contact Information of Agencies

2

4

6

8

10

12

15

14

16

SCOTT MCDONALD President and CEO, BC Lung Association

FOREWORDThis year’s State of the Air Report puts the focus on one of the main causes of air pollution in our province: diesel particulate matter (DPM). Recently classified as a human carcinogen by the World Health Organization, DPM has been linked to various diseases, including lung cancer, heart disease, asthma, and chronic obstructive lung disease.

We can’t ignore the effects of DPM on air quality and human health. For that reason, we take a close look at various aspects of DPM: its sources (both road/non-road and workplace), its effects on exercise, and the programs designed to test for and reduce diesel emissions. We also underscore the need for an optimal metric to monitor DPM exposure.

Last March, the BC Lung Association hosted the 11th Air Quality and Health Workshop. We have a report on the event featuring international experts who presented a state of the science overview of the effects of natural gas and coal extraction, processing and transportation in B.C.

This report wouldn’t be complete without an update on initiatives, policies and programs undertaken by different organizations and government agencies. It’s interesting to note how some of the earlier efforts have evolved into en-tirely new programs - all with the shared goal of enhancing air quality for British Columbians.

Once again, I applaud the efforts of everyone who was involved in the production of this valuable document – and encourage readers to send in their suggestions on topics they’d like to see in future editions of this report.

bc.lung.ca 5

Have you ever seen a diesel truck leaving a thick

plume of black smoke in its wake? It’s certainly the

image many people have when air pollution and

trucks are mentioned in the same breath.

Recently classifi ed by the World Health Organization

as a class one carcinogen (in the same category as

asbestos, arsenic and cigarette smoke), diesel exhaust

is a serious public health issue.

This is because when diesel burns inside an engine

it releases particles that, when breathed in, can stay

in our airways and trigger asthma, bronchitis and

other lung conditions, including cancer.

Even the tiniest particles can penetrate the cells of

lungs, enter the bloodstream, deliver toxins to internal

organs, aff ect blood vessels and contribute to heart

attacks and strokes.

And children are especially at risk from particulates

in diesel exhaust fumes because their organs are still

developing and they have a faster breathing rate.

“Older diesel engines, such as those found in heavy

trucks, are the worst off enders. Which is why we

continue to advocate for stricter regulation, public

policies and programs,” says Dr. Menn Biagtan, BC

Lung Association Program Manager.

“Workplace settings — where as much as 5 percent

of BC’s working population is exposed to diesel

emissions — are also a concern. Preliminary research

shows that workers are unaware of the health threat,

and need to be both better educated and protected.”

Interested in learning more about diesel pollution

and what BC is doing about it? Contact us to get your

copy of our 2014 BC State of the Air Report.

DieselDownsideDiesel exhaust is a complex mix of gases and particulates, the vast majority

of which are small enough to cause serious harm to your lungs.

Read the full report online at bc.lung.ca or get a copy sent to you by calling the BC Lung Association toll-free at 1-800-665-5864 (LUNG).

Report contributors include representatives from the B.C. Ministry of Environment, Environment Canada, B.C. Ministry of Health, Health Canada, B.C. Centre for Disease Control, Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley Regional District and University of British Columbia.

Traffi c emissions have been

linked to heart and lung disease.

And with Canadians spending

an average 52 minutes a day

commuting, often in close

proximity to traffi c pollution,

Health Canada decided it was

time for more research. Its

purpose? To better understand

levels of traffi c pollution exposure,

its impact on our wellbeing,

and what individuals and

policy-makers can do to minimize

related health risks.

Hear the results by participating

in our upcoming webinar, one of

a series of Air Quality & Health

topic events held quarterly. The

next webinar takes place on

September 18th at 10am PST and

will summarize Health Canada’s

fi ndings in its recently-completed

Urban Transport Exposure Study.

You’re Invited to learn more on

September 18th at 10am PST.

To be sent webinar call-in and

online participation details,

email BC Lung Association

organizer Dr. Menn Biagtan at

biagtan@bc.lung.ca or call her

directly toll-free at 1-800-665-5864.

NEW Air Quality & Health Webinar Series

What are you breathing on your daily commute to work?

6 Your Health — Summer 2014

According to a 2013 Angus Reid

survey, 50% of those surveyed who

live in multi-unit dwellings have

experienced second-hand smoke from

neighbours.

The same survey con� rmed the

majority would prefer to live in a

100% smoke-free building.

The BC Lung Association, together

with advocacy partner the Heart and

Stroke Foundation, regularly receive

calls from people suffering from

relentless, ongoing, excessive smoke

exposure from a neighbouring unit. In

many cases, people are also coping

with chronic conditions such as heart

and respiratory diseases made worse

by smoke exposure.

Landlords and strata corporations

have the authority to set policies and

bylaws to protect the health of their

residents or to protect their property.

A no-smoking policy doesn’t deny

smokers a place to live or force people

to quit smoking; rather it’s a rule

that must be complied with, similar

to other policies restricting pets and

barbecues.

And there are bene� ts to going

100% smoke-free that landlords and

stratas should consider. Smoke-free

buildings can increase marketability,

reduce con� icts among residents,

protect against litigation and human

rights complaints, save money on

maintenance and eliminate a leading

cause of residential � res.

As more and more people reside in

communal settings, it makes sense to

incorporate no-smoking policies. It’s

also the right thing to do. We should

all be able to breathe clean air in our

own homes.

We’ve designated June as “Smoke-

Free Housing Month.” We want more

people to take action and create 100%

smoke-free housing.

A no-smoking policy is legal, easy to

implement and means healthier tenants

and a healthier bottom line. Everybody

wins. For easy-to-use info on how to

implement a no-smoking bylaw visit

smokefreehousingbc.ca.

100% smoke-free strata?Oh, yes. It can be done.

While you can breathe smoke-free air in a public place,you may not be so fortunate in your own home.

“If you’re feeling frustrated by your neighbour’s smoke swirling in, you’re not alone. Smoking issues are one of the most common complaints in apartment and strata complexes.”

Veda PetersTobacco Education Coordinator

BC Lung Association

bc.lung.ca 7

Suburban condo tower exhausts alternatives before banning smoking altogether

Downtown apartment owners take preventative action nowto avoid smoking headaches later

“Nothing else worked,” says Strata Council President

Gudrun Howard, speaking about her building’s

choice to become 100% smoke-free. “We rarely get

complaints now, and if we do, our no-smoking bylaw

gives us power to act.”

Howard is referring to an 11-year-old, 135-suite condo

tower in Burnaby where she lives. She recalls years

of complaints. “At fi rst we thought our problems were

due to people smoking on their balconies. In 2008,

owners approved a smoking ban on balconies but

while it helped, it didn’t solve the problem.

“Next, we spoke directly with the owners whose

smoking was the cause of complaints, we sent

warning letters, assessed fi nes and explored ways to

help clear the air of smoke… even off ering to provide

an air purifi er for an owner. Sadly, that didn’t make

much diff erence either.

“Our biggest hurdle was our ventilation system. It

draws stale air out of owner suites, into common

hallways. Understandably, if an owner smokes, their

cigarette smells fast become everyone’s problem.

The smell was so strong on one fl oor it impacted an

owner’s ability to sell their suite.

“Luckily, I spotted an article about a Lower Mainland

Strata that was sued by an owner for failing to protect

him/her from second-hand smoke. The ruling agreed

with the plaintiff that second-hand smoke ultimately

compromised the owner’s health and that the Strata

Corporation was liable, so we decided to make the

case for a 100% smoke-free building. In 2012, our

resolution was approved. Owners understood we had

tried everything else. There was no other alternative.”

“These owners were smart,” says Bunny Porteous,

Senior Strata Manager for FirstService Residential

Property Management. “The Strata Council took

preventative action now to avoid problems later.”

Porteus is referring to The Peninsula, a high-end

condominium building in Yaletown she manages.

The moment second-hand smoke problems began,

Council got proactive.

“When Council fi rst asked for help, I suggested

they ban smoking on balconies, but they decided

to propose a 100% smoking ban right away,”

continued Porteous. “They sensed owners would

be supportive and they were right. Seventy-fi ve

percent voted yes.”

Porteus suggests more buildings should follow their

example and seek support for a similar bylaw before

smoking complaints start.

“Smoking issues eat up a lot of time, and short of a

no-smoking policy, are seldom easy to resolve,” said

Porteous. “If a Council believes ownership would

approve a 100% no-smoking bylaw, I say go for it.

Besides avoiding smoking complaint headaches, a

no-smoking bylaw reduces risk of fi re, clean-up costs

and could make units easier to sell.”

“Second-hand smoke issues compromised the owner’s health and the Strata Corporation was liable.”

“Smoking issues eat up a lot of time and are seldom easy to resolve.”

Bunny PorteousSenior Strata ManagerFirst Service Residential

Gudrun HowardStrata Council President

8 Your Health — Summer 2014

When the going gets tough, ex-smokin’ moms tough it out!For Mother’s Day, we called upon members of our supportive online quitter

community to share their quit stories in the hope of inspiring others.

For more about QuitNow, visit quitnow.ca, email quitnow@bc.lung.ca or call

The Lung Association at 1-800-665-5864.

From left to right: Ex-smokin’ Moms Karen Paulsen and Jess Zagwyn with BC Lung Association QuitNow Manager Sharon Hammond.

quitnow news A province-wide quit smoking resource, QuitNow provides and promotes tools and services scientifi cally-proven to increase quit-ready British Columbians’ chances of quit success.

“The more we learn, the clearer it’s becoming that the one size fi ts all approach to smoking cessation isn’t working. Women are more fearful of things like gaining weight and dealing with the stress of withdrawal. They appreciate opportunities to share their quit experiences with one another.”

Sharon HammondQuitNow Manager

BC Lung Association

Karen (Langley Mom), her partner and her

daughter quit three months ago. “I had tried

everything: the patch, quit meds, cutting

back, cold turkey. But the truth is I loved

smoking… and quitting is the hardest thing

I’ve ever done. But I don’t want to get sick.

I want to make sure I’m here to see my

daughter get married. So for now… I crochet

everything and anything! My daughter

started crocheting too!”

Jess (Surrey Mom) smoked 5 to 15 cigarettes

a day for 12 years before health issues

demanded she make a serious commitment

to quitting. “I called QuitNow and spoke to

one of their quit coaches who told me about

all the things available to help me cope

with withdrawal symptoms.” Jess also had a

lot of family support. She hasn’t touched a

cigarette since November 2013, but doesn’t

deny that the craving returns once in a

while. “My trick is push-ups. I hit the � oor,

do a quick 15, throw in some jumping jacks

and get the blood pumping. It may not work

for everyone, but that’s what works for me.”

Michelle (Pitt Meadows Mom) smoked

heavily for 31 years and it’s no coincidence

she quit on her son’s birthday, April 2, 2012.

“Before I quit, smoking was everything. I got

up and had a cigarette. Then I’d get in my

car and have another. Then I’d have one

during smoke breaks with friends. Quitting

required I recreate my life. I started running

and cycling… and I took the � rst holiday in

my adult life!”

Adriana (Maple Ridge Mom) was a heavy

smoker for 17 years. “I’d go to bed hating

the fact I was a smoker so I would throw

all my smokes out. Then by lunch the next

day, I’d go out and buy more. I quit too many

times to count and only a handful of times

did I make it past 24 hours. Now my life is

all about healthy living. I’ve become a yoga

enthusiast. And I spend more time with my

family.”

Mallika (New West Mom) smoked a pack

a day until she quit last year. “My children

are the biggest reasons I quit for sure. When

your kids wish you didn’t smoke, it’s heart

breaking. I grew up feeling that way; my

mom smoked too.” Working in the health

care industry was another reason she quit.

“It hit me one day. How can I provide care

and promote the well-being of others if I’m

smoking like a chimney?”

Read full stories from these amazing women and

more at quitnow.ca/my-community. Also be sure

to check out our Facebook community (Facebook.

com/quitnowbc) — the largest and most active

quit support community in Canada.

Ready to quit smoking? We’re here to help, 24/7.

bc.lung.ca 9

Challenging BC’s Smokin’ Women to Blow Off Smoking

“QuitNow has been helping British

Columbians quit for almost 10 years, and

while our quit smoking resources are

available to women and men alike, our most

recent contest focused on rallying smokin’

women because we know our existing

resources resonate that much more strongly

with women than men,” says Sharon

Hammond, QuitNow Manager for the BC

Lung Association.

“The more we learn, the clearer it’s becoming

that the one size � ts all approach to

smoking cessation isn’t working. Women are

more fearful of things like gaining weight

and dealing with the stress of cigarette

withdrawal. They appreciate opportunities

to share their quit experiences with one

another,” continues Hammond.

“Men tend to prefer a more self-directed,

con� dential approach. They’re more

motivated by things like money savings.

And they’re more likely to reach for quit

medications versus attending a quit

smoking support group. So while we work

to adapt our services to suit men as well as

women, we also recognize the importance

of targeting speci� c populations from time

to time.

“Since the contest ended, we’ve received

dozens of emails and Facebook posts from

participants telling us the contest was the

motivation they needed to commit to quit

smoking. This is great news, because in the

end our contests are about getting people

to take that important � rst step towards a

smoke free life,” she says.

“The contest provided participants with a

shorter, achievable quit smoking challenge

in order to prove to themselves that, one

step at a time, you can quit smoking — and

even if you slip, it’s not big deal. Just get

back up and try again. You can do it.”

One of three contest winners, 25-year old Rachel Bjornsson of

North Delta saw our contest and

she decided it was time. “I smoked

for 10 years. This was my second

quit attempt but I’m determined to

stick to it. My boyfriend and I quit

together and now we’re planning a

trip to Poland with the prize money

and the money I’m saving by not

smoking!”

We congratulate Rachel, and our

two other contest prizewinners Lisa

Winbourne of Victoria and Serena

Debolt of Powell River, on their

quit success!

More than 1500 women

went smoke-free June 2

to June 8 for a chance

to win $1,000 cash in a

new contest organized

by BC Lung Association’s

QuitNow Program.

TEST FOR IT All homes should be tested for radon.

Aff ordable Do-It-Yourself radon test

kits are available through the BC Lung

Association’s RadonAware.ca website

and at home improvement and

hardware stores. Indoor radon testing

takes a minimum of three months and

up to a full year.

Fall and winter are the best times to test

your home because radon levels tend

to increase indoors during cold-weather

months when people are using furnaces,

which results in negative air pressure

conditions that can draw more air from

the soil into the house.

FIX IT We measure radon in becquerels

(unit of radioactive decay) per cubic

metre. If your home has more than

200 Bq/m3 of radon in any one room,

we recommend you call a certifi ed

radon mitigator to fi x the problem and

reduce your radon levels. There are

many ways to address radon problems,

including active soil depressurization,

fan-driven ventilation, and sealing up

cracks in your foundation. In most cases

active soil depressurization — a system

with a radon vent pipe and fan — is

used to reduce indoor radon levels.

Addressing high radon levels often costs

the same as other minor home repairs.

SAVE A LIFE; SAVE YOUR INVESTMENTBy fi xing elevated levels in your home,

you can help prevent lung cancer while

creating a healthier home for you and

your family. Taking action to test and fi x

high levels of radon gas is not only a

strong investment for your health, but

also for your home. Radon test results

are a positive selling point for those

putting a house on the market and may

be a future requirement as part of real

estate transactions. In addition, if you

are looking to build a new home, there

are safer and healthier radon-resistant

construction techniques available to

home buyers to help prevent this

health hazard.

YOU CAN’T SEE, SMELL OR TASTE ITA radioactive gas emitted by uranium

deposits in the earth, radon is the

second leading cause of lung cancer

after smoking.

Some areas in BC have high levels of

radon, while others are low. Outdoors,

radon is not a problem. It only becomes

dangerous when trapped in enclosed

spaces like a building or home.

Radon fi nds its way into our homes

through cracks in the foundation,

around unsealed pipes or crawlspace.

In poorly ventilated areas, such as

basements, radon can accumulate to

high levels that become harmful to

humans unless vented. Even long-

term exposure to low to moderate

levels of radon can potentially lead to

lung cancer.

Health Canada estimates 16 percent

of lung cancer deaths in Canada are

caused by radon and an estimated

500,000 Canadians live in homes

exceeding federal guidelines for radon

gas exposure.

Test for Radon. It’s easy to do, and it’s worth it.

Radon only becomes particularly dangerous to us when trapped in enclosed spaces.

All homes should be tested for radon.

In most cases, a system with a radon vent pipe and fan is used to reduce indoor radon levels.

bc.lung.ca 11

Radonaware News A province-wide resource, RadonAware provides information and services aimed at increasing action to combat the lung cancer-related risks of radon gas.

“The more British Columbians learn about of radon and its health risks, the greater the demand for trained contractors will become.

“To help support the growing demand for radon professionals in the Province the BC Lung Association is providing a fi nancial incentive to individuals that become Canadian National Radon Profi ciency Program Certifi ed.”

Mike Morris, MLA Prince George-Mackenzie with Tiff any Bonnet, Fraser Basin Council

Britt SwovelandProvincial Coordinator RadonAwareBC Lung Association

How to order a home radon test kit

With the support of AccuStar, the BC Lung Association is making home radon kits

available through its RadonAware.ca website. For a cost of $29.99 plus shipping

and handling, Accustar will mail you the test kit with instructions on how to set up

the device and send it back to a lab for analysis.

Community-based radon studies

This year the BC Lung Association led

innovative studies in Prince George

and Castlegar — BC regions where

preliminary testing indicates homes

with radon levels over the Canadian

guideline of 200 Bq/m3.

To encourage more BC families to test

their homes for radon, we joined forces

with partners: the Fraser Basin Council,

the Canadian Cancer Society, the Prince

George Metis Housing Society and the

City of Castlegar.

The localized studies, which are still

underway today, will provide some of

the most in-depth analysis related to

home radon testing and the correlation

between high [and low] indoor radon

levels and building construction

standards. A full report on study fi ndings

and recommendations will be released

in Fall 2014.

Radon mitigation training

The BC Lung Association has

partnered with the Canadian Home

Builders’ Association and the Centre

for Environmental Research and

Technology Inc. to off er online

courses in both Radon Measurement

and Mitigation.

The courses provide the necessary

fi rst step to become Canadian

National Radon Profi ciency Certifi ed

[C-NRP] and are an excellent skill

accompaniment for any individual

who currently works in the

building sector.

To encourage participation and help

build BC radon expertise, we’re

off ering a fi nancial incentive on a

fi rst-come, fi rst-served basis to BC

residents who complete both required

courses (radon measurement and

radon mitigation) and pass the

Canadian National Radon Profi ciency

Program exam.

Courses can be accessed through

the Canadian Home Builders’

Association by contacting the Canadian

Home Builders’ Institute Toll Free at

1-800-933-6777.

For more about our radon mitigation

training incentives, please contact Britt

Swoveland toll-free at ---

or email radonaware@bc.lung.ca.

12 Your Health — Summer 2014

Gregory McKinstryA stroke survivor who hasn’t let health setbacks slow him

down, Gregory decided to make Stairclimb a personal

challenge. Not only did he make it all the way up 48 storeys of

the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel; he’s also our top

2014 individual fundraiser!

Team JCFor the past four years, Team JC has climbed in tribute to

cherished friend, husband, father and non-smoker Jeremy

Chen, who died of lung cancer in 2011. Determined to make a

diff erence, Team JC is consistently our top fundraising team.

Michael CossMichael Coss suff ered a traumatic brain injury in 2006 and was

in a coma for months. Since beginning his recovery, Michael

has not only learned to walk and talk again, but he’s written a

book, set fundraising records, and created The Michael Coss

Brain Injury Foundation.

Allison VothAllison fi rst climbed in 2011 after suff ering from two spontaneous

lung collapses and subsequent surgery. Though terrifi ed of a

relapse, Allison says she was determined to do it. “I was tired

of living in fear. I needed to learn to trust my body again — so

I needed a challenge.” Fast forward to 2014 and Allison is the

picture of fi tness — several sizes slimmer and happier than ever!

John Hall John was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2012, which turned

out to be just the push he needed. Determined to get his

diabetes under control, lose weight, stick to a fi tness schedule,

and celebrate his newfound lung health, Stairclimb has become

an annual tradition he uses to measure how far he’s come!

Allison and the Tai FamilyOne fi t family, Allison, husband John and her two daughters are

an impressive team! The defi nition of athletic — Allison (right) is

routinely our fastest female climber (even less than a month after

welcoming a new baby) and holds Guinness World Records for

fastest 10k and Marathon Stroller Push! And at just three years old,

daughter Amelita (left) is already a veteran climber!

Thank you 2014 sponsors

Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel

One Wall Centre the Residences

Global BC

24 Hours Newspaper

YYoung Wellbeing

Vancouver Firefi ghters’ Charitable Society

CAMACC Systems Inc.

Rackets & Runners

New Balance

Balloon Studio

West Coast Fitness

CocoGlobo

KIND Healthy Snacks

Popchips

Camino

DAVIDsTEA

Island Farms

Vida Spa

Fraser Downs

Cypress Mountain

Vancouver Fashion Week

Opposite page: This year Climb the Wall attracted a wide range of people of all ages, fitness levels and attire. Lucky for us, we had a team of volunteer photographers to capture ‘Climb craziness’ in action. Enjoy!

CLIMB THE WALLThank you 2014 climbers!

Every year — for the

past 13 years — BC Lung

Association supporters

have gotten up early on a

Sunday morning, strapped

on their exercise gear and

made their way to the

top of one of Vancouver’s

tallest buildings. The

event draws hundreds of

participants of all fi tness

levels who walk and run

up all 739 steps of the

Sheraton Vancouver Wall

Centre Hotel for one

important reason: to raise

awareness of and money

for British Columbians

who suff er from

respiratory illnesses. Many

are climbing in honour of

loved ones lost to lung

disease, others take part

to mark a personal fi tness

achievement, and still

more show up simply

to support a worthy

cause. This includes a

faithful contingent of

BC fi refi ghters, who

climb in their own

category — competing for

fastest climb time in full

fi refi ghter gear!

Meet a few of our amazing

BC Lung Association

supporters:

THE STAIRCLIMB FOR CLEAN AIR 2014

Photo credits, above and opposite: Jorge Posada, Judy Parker, Leroy Christenson, Shanna Venor, Sydney Morley

Thursday I September 18th, 2014 I 1:30 to 3:30pm

At a special fall meeting of the Oceanside Better Breathers Group, Dr. John Ronald will speak about how to manage your COPD in order to maximize your lung health and quality of life. Patients, friends and family are community members welcome!

Do you suffer from COPD? Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

September 18th, 2014 I 1:30 to 3:30pm Tigh-Na-Mara I 1155 Resort Drive, ParksvilleSPEAKER Dr. John Ronald,

Respirologist & Critical Care Physician

RSVPCall Kelly toll free at 1.800.665.5864 or email ablog@bc.lung.ca

Supported by the BC Lung Association, the Oceanside Better Breathers Group is a monthly support and education group for people with chronic lung diseases such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer, sleep apnea and asthma. THIS IS A SMOKE-FREE AND SCENT-FREE EVENT

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS FOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT:

SPECIAL FALL EVENT

Oceanside Better Breathers Group Meeting

� eld notes

14 Your Health — Spring & Summer 2012

Veda Peters ( BC Lung Association)

3 Calling for restrictions on the marketing of

fl avoured tobacco and e-cigarette products to youth. In recent years, the

tobacco industry has fl ooded

the market with tobacco

products and e-cigarettes

that appeal to youth. These

products include candy-

fl avoured cigarillos and

cigars, fl avoured spit tobacco

and fl avoured pipe and

water pipe tobacco — all

clearly intended to entice

youth smokers. The BC Lung

Associations joins BC health

charities including the BC

Cancer Society, in advocating

for increased regulations on

the marketing to minors of

e-cigarette and fl avoured

tobacco products.

5 Uniting leaders in the global fi ght against tuberculosis.Global experts in tuberculosis

(TB) and respiratory disease met in

Boston in February 2014 for the Annual

Conference of the Union-North America

Region, organized by the BC Lung

Association who serves as Conference

Secretariat. This year’s theme was

“Stronger together: Stopping TB from

laboratory to clinic” and provided

delegates with new insights into the

public health and scientifi c aspects of

TB prevention, care and control. Plans

are already underway for next year’s

conference taking place in Vancouver in

February 2015.

4 Addressing the need for improved public policy on environmental health issues.

World authorities on air quality and

health-related issues met in Vancouver

in March 2014 to discuss growing

evidence of pollution’s adverse eff ects

on public health. Organized annually by

the BC Lung Association, the Air Quality

& Health Workshop unites experts on

environmental health issues to share

recent research fi ndings and discuss

how they may apply to future public

health policy. This year’s workshop

focused on the air quality and health

impacts of energy resource extraction,

processing, and transportation.

Photo left to right: Karyll Magtibay and Dr. Menn Biagtan (BC Lung Association) Anne-Marie Nicol (Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University), Greg Baytalan (Interior Health Authority), Winnie Cheng (Health Canada) and Veda Peters (BC Lung Association).

1 Challenging BC elementary schools to a radon poster contest.This winter the BC Lung Association, together with Health Canada and the Interior

Health Authority, challenged students to create a poster that represented the health

risks of radon gas in exchange for a chance to win one of eight cash prizes ranging from

$50 to $500. The contest ran from November 1, 2013 to April 30, 2014 and more than

50 schools participated!

2 Creating lung patient education and information sharing opportunities.Our Better Breathers Groups are support

groups for those with respiratory illness. They

meet once every month in more than 15 BC

communities. Their goal is to help patients and

families aff ected by chronic lung diseases including

asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema

(known collectively as COPD —

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).

In order to provide an opportunity

for patients to interact with local

respiratory health specialists and raise

awareness of existing Better Breathers

groups, the BC Lung Association

often organizes community spring

and fall lung health forums. Call Kelly

at the BC Lung Association for more

info toll-free at 1-800-665-5864.

The BC Lung Association has been dedicated to its mission of promoting and improving lung health for all British Columbians for over 100 years. Here are some of the things we’ve been up to lately.

bc.lung.ca 15

Alice Huang (centre with sign) of Moscrop Secondary School in Burnaby

10 Encouraging BC secondary schools to launch their own clean air campaign! For the second year in a row, the BC Lung Association

challenged Metro Vancouver secondary schools to design a campaign

to improve school-wide awareness of air pollution. Alice Huang of Moscrop

Secondary in Burnaby (see photo) was the 2014 winner and went home with

a $500 cash prize. Her campaign — entitled ‘AIRpocalypse’ — challenged fellow

students to bike, bus or walk to school instead of coming by car and to document

proof via a photo on Facebook or Twitter. Alice also hung posters around her

school with air pollution facts and tips about what each of us can do to ensure we

maintain healthy air.

BC Lung Association CEO Scott McDonald with Metro Vancouver Chairman and Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore

9 Seeking ways to work with municipal government to fuel action on air quality issues.BC Lung Association’s CEO met recently with Metro

Vancouver Chair Greg Moore at Port Coquitlam City Hall to

discuss air quality issues in the region. The two are seeking joint

opportunities for the Lung Association and Metro Vancouver

to motivate more BC families to make lifestyle changes that

reduce their air pollution footprint. Ideas tabled included

incentives aimed at motivating families to reduce waste and

use energy and transportation more wisely.

Canadian Lung Association CEO Debra Lynkowski, Federal Health Minister Rona Ambrose, and Dr. Shawn Aaron, Executive Director of the new Canadian Respiratory Research Network.

6 Helping increase vital funding for lung health research. Together

with the Canadian Institute of Health

Research, industry sponsors and our national

Lung Association offi ce in Ottawa, the BC

Lung Association has contributed to a total

of $7.6 million awarded to a new Canadian

Respiratory Research Network. Their purpose

is to promote world-class research into

chronic lung diseases, such as asthma and

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

(COPD).

7 Promoting the use of effi cient wood stoves. The BC Lung Association

will continue to work with the BC

Ministry of Environment to expand the

provincial wood stove exchange program.

The program helps raise awareness about

the problems associated with older wood

stoves and encourages homeowners to

change out their smoky stoves for low emission

appliances. New high-effi ciency stoves burn

one-third less wood and reduce emissions

by up to 70 per cent. Call Dr. Menn Biagtan

at the BC Lung Association toll-free at

1-800-665-5864 to learn more.

8 Increasing awareness of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, a progressive and fatal lung disease.Up to 30,000 Canadians are believed to be aff ected by

pulmonary fi brosis — and of those, three to fi ve thousand have

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). IPF causes progressive

scarring of the lungs, leading to a chronic cough, shortness of

breath, and potentially death. In most cases, the cause cannot

be identifi ed. And, until recently, Canadians diagnosed with the

disease had no proven treatment options available to them

apart from a lung transplant. The BC Lung Association together

with the Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation and a

number of patient advocates met with BC government offi cials

in May 2014. Their purpose was to advocate for public funding

of ESBRIET (pirfenidone), the only Health Canada-approved

medicine available to treat the rare condition. ESBRIET is the

fi rst medicine in Canada shown to slow disease progression

and decrease the decline in lung function in adult patients with

a mild to moderate condition.

IPF patients George Kaminski and Linda Martin with Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation President Robert Davidson and BC Lung Association CEO Scott McDonald at the Parliament Buildings in Victoria, BC.

Are you a fun-loving, pedal-pounding, helmet-wearing, high-fiving, challenge-taking, do-gooding

who can bicycle 200 kilometres in 2 days?

We thought so. Join us.September 6-7, 2014

www.bicycletrek.ca

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kilometres in 2 days?

Publications Mail Agreement Number 40063885. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: BC Lung Association, 2675 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC V6H 2K2