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Lung condition COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is the third leading cause of death worldwide, killing 3.2m people per year.
After years of supporting Plymouth-based group Breathe Easy, Dr Rupert Jones led a team from the University of Plymouth to tackle the disease in the wider world.
His programme in Uganda is the first ever to target COPD prevention in low-middle income countries and will be showcased at a free public event at the University on Thursday 4 April.
It’s really about all the creative ways we’re helping to educate people to prevent them getting lung disease, and how to treat themselves to make themselves fitter and weller without the use of drugs.
The event will bring attention to a variety of international projects covering locations from Greece to Kyrgyzstan, but will focus on the team’s work with midwives in Uganda raising awareness of the damage of biomass fuels among women who experience more exposure through cooking.
The results so far show that the education programme is well received and having an impact on women’s decisions, which could save and extend thousands of lives.
Event attendees are invited to a drinks reception and multimedia presentations from scientists and creatives.
Dr Jones, whose work is supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care South West Peninsula (PenCLAHRC), said:
“Our programme involves professional photographers, filmmakers and even a dancer, who is also a doctor in London. It’s really about all the creative ways we’re helping to educate people to prevent them getting lung disease, and how to treat themselves to make themselves fitter and weller without the use of drugs. Some of our Illustration students at Plymouth have also created educational pieces for the midwives, mothers and children, which were really well received. The showcase evening is set to be a really visual and engaging event, and everyone is invited along to find out more.”
Dr Jones’s work is part of the Community and Primary Care research group in the Institute of Translational and Stratified Medicine (ITSMed) at the University of Plymouth.
Take a look at education material developedLearn more about Chronic Lung Disease and some of the causes of it.
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