Airwaves & Airways

A podcast series by BC Lung Foundation

1

Ever wondered what causes asthma? Why are more youth vaping these days? How do trees help us breathe?

Join BC Lung Foundation for Airwaves & Airways, as we chat about some of the most burning questions in lung health. We will address misconceptions, explore new health breakthroughs, and look at the innerworkings of one of our bodies most vital organs. Tune in every month to stay intrigued, inspired, and informed about lung health as we work together to breathe easier in BC.

Episode Show Notes

In the very first episode of Airwaves & Airways, we are speaking with Christopher Lam, President & CEO at BC Lung about a game-changing policy that BC Lung is proposing to help keep children in BC safe. It’s called Smoke Free Generation, and we’re pretty excited about the prospect that this could really work in our province. Tune in to learn more about Smoke-Free Generation and how it could create a healthier future.

Learn more about Smoke-Free Generation: bclung.ca/smokefreegeneration

Sign the petition: https://form.jotform.com/240156138287256

 

For episode 2 of BC Lung’s podcast, Airwaves & Airways, we had the opportunity to connect with Dr. Anne-Marie Nicol about the BREATHE project, a community-based initiative that teaches community members and leaders how to build DIY air cleaners to improve their indoor air quality. ‘BREATHE’ stands for ‘Building Resilience to Emerging Airborne Threats and Heat Events’ and is a project co-hosted by Simon Fraser University’s Pacific Institute on Pathogens, Pandemics and Society (PIPPS) and the BC Lung Foundation.

Along with a team of SFU students, Anne-Marie has been bringing the BREATHE project across British Columbia by hosting workshops to build DIY air cleaners and providing education about wildfire smoke to vulnerable individuals such as low-income seniors and people with existing lung conditions.

Tune into this month’s episode to learn more about the BREATHE project, the importance of indoor air quality, strategies to reduce exposure to wildfire smoke, and more! Visit bclung.ca/diyaircleaners for more info about the BREATHE project including a step-by-step guide on how to build your own air cleaner at home.

Step by step guide: https://bclung.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Air-Cleaner-Instructions_New.pdf

Shopping list: https://bclung.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/shopping-list_new.pdf

Instructional video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oo2n9J2AJk0

Train the Trainer guide: https://bclung.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Train-the-Trainer-Guide.pdf

 

In episode 3 of Airwaves & Airways, we dive into how extreme heat events can affect our lungs. In BC, we’ve seen more frequent and intense wildfire smoke and extreme heat events. With these events projected to continue into the future, we want to learn more about how we can best protect ourselves and support those living with a lung condition during times of extreme heat. To explore the intersection of heat and respiratory health, we chatted with Dr. Emily Brigham, who is a practicing respirologist at Vancouver General Hospital. Tune in to learn more about extreme heat, what symptoms to look out for and steps you can take to be prepared ahead of an event, along with many other helpful resources.
Referenced links:

September is a month of excitement for many, however, the transition of back to school comes risks for children living with asthma. The “September Spike”, is a serious increase in asthma attacks that can occur among children when they return to the classroom. 

For the 4th episode of Airwaves & Airways, we chatted with Sharon Ramsey, who is a Certified Asthma Educator at the Burnaby Pediatric Asthma Clinic. Tune in to learn more about the September Spike and how to support children with asthma this fall. 

Referenced links: 

Episode 5 of Airwaves & Airways is intended for health care providers who wish to learn more about which vaccines are currently available for patients and how to talk about vaccines with patients. To explore these topics, we are joined by Ajit Johal, who is a clinical assistant professor for the University of British Columbia Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Program and is the Clinical Director at Immunize.io. Ajit is a community pharmacist focused on vaccinations and since 2012 has been providing clinical education and immunizations within Vancouver. So if you’re a pharmacist, doctor, health educator, or any other type of health care provider, be sure to listen as we dive into how best to support our community this fall.

To access further evidence-based resources on vaccinations you can visit immunize.io. They have a Vaccine Centre of Excellence which includes free vaccine education resources: https://vaccinecenterofexcellence.com/. 

References: 

Do you want to protect you and your loved ones this fall? Fall respiratory season is upon us – a time of increased respiratory illness. In episode 6 of Airwaves & Airways, we chat with Ajit Johal, who is a clinical assistant professor for the University of British Columbia Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Program and is the Clinical Director at Immunize.io. Ajit is a community pharmacist focused on vaccinations and since 2012 has been providing clinical education and immunizations within Vancouver. Join us as we talk about respiratory season, risk factors, and all things vaccinations so you can be up to date on what to expect this fall. If you’re looking to learn more about vaccinations and what to expect as we head into respiratory season, be sure to check this episode out!

Referenced links: 

LungFit: Pulmonary Rehab Podcast Series

The LungFIT pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) podcast series provides helpful information for healthcare providers working in PR, and may also be informative for patients and caregivers.

What is Pulmonary Rehabilition (PR)?

PR is a multidisciplinary, evidence-based intervention for people with chronic lung disease. People who participate in PR report improved quality of life, reduced symptoms, and have better exercise tolerance. Many years of excellent research have provided PR with a solid evidence base, but often this evidence is not translated into clinical practice.

While some resources exist for people who work in PR, many are expensive and are not universally available. These podcasts are an attempt to expand access to available resources and cover topics related to PR including:

  • Upcoming research
  • Clinical updates on assessment, tests, and tools
  • Journal clubs
  • Interviews with other PR experts
  • Tips on how to improve your program


About Dr. Pat Camp

Dr. Pat Camp is a physical therapist and Associate Professor in the University of British Columbia (UBC) Department of Physical Therapy. She is also a Principal Investigator at the UBC Centre for Heart Lung Innovation. Dr. Camp began the St. Paul’s Hospital Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program in 1997, and is still involved with many program activities. Her research focuses on pulmonary rehabilitation for people with acute exacerbations of COPD; telehealth; and Indigenous lung health.

LungFIT podcasts are funded by BC Lung & the St. Paul’s Foundation.