Last week, BC Lung Foundation brought Carter’s Project to the Okanagan, providing air quality education, tools, and resources to communities at high risk for wildfire smoke events.
In the summer of 2023, in 100 Mile House, 9-year-old Carter Vigh sadly passed away due to an asthma attack exacerbated by poor air quality. The nearest air quality monitoring station was 100km away; the skies were clear, but the air over 100 Mile was, invisibly, very poor. Local, real-time air quality monitoring would likely have saved his life. Carter’s Project is an initiative in honour of Carter Vigh, which funds the free distribution of air quality monitors throughout British Columbia.
Having been identified as high-risk areas for wildfire smoke events, and with no current air quality monitors in place, BC Lung installed outdoor air quality monitors in Oliver, Keremeos, and Okanagan Falls. An invaluable tool for those living with lung disease in these areas.
To raise awareness of air quality monitoring and provide practical tools and resources, BC Lung, alongside Carter’s mom, Amber, and brother, Dax, also facilitated 6 DIY air cleaner workshops with students in grades 2-6 at Oliver Elementary School (OES). “We were incredibly fortunate to welcome the BC Lung Foundation and Carter’s Project to OES for a truly memorable visit. Our students had an absolute blast learning, participating, and connecting through such a meaningful activity and conversations. It was especially wonderful to meet Carter’s mom and brother and to hear firsthand about the heart and inspiration behind Carter’s Project. Their warmth, courage, and passion left a lasting impression on our entire school community”, says Nikki Hutchison, Vice Principal at OES.
BC Lung in collaboration with the City of Penticton also held two Carter’s Project DIY air cleaner workshop for local families in Penticton providing concerned residents with air cleaners and indoor air quality monitors for their homes.
Throughout the week, over 100 DIY air cleaners were built, 70 indoor air quality monitors were distributed, and 3 outdoor air quality monitors were installed. “My heart is full, and I’m so grateful we get to honour Carter in such an amazing way”, says Amber Vigh, Carter’s mom.
Since it’s launch in 2023, Carter’s Project has now installed 25 outdoor air quality monitors in communities across the province, providing over 20,000 British Columbians with real-time access to accurate outdoor air quality information at the touch of their fingertips. Through purpleair.com, IQair.com/ca, and AQmap.ca, local families residing in areas where Carter’s Project has visited and installed outdoor air quality monitors can breathe easy knowing that they have the information they need to make informed, responsible health decisions during times of poor air quality.
Fully subsidized by BC Lung with support from TB Vets, Carter’s Project is on a mission to ensure that every community across BC that lacks appropriate air quality monitoring is provided with the tools and resources they need to prevent future tragedies and protect the lungs of all British Columbians.
To learn more about Carter’s Project and to apply to have an air quality monitor installed in your community, visit bclung.ca/cartersproject.
