Henry Smith MP has given his support to the British Lung Foundation's lung health awareness campaign by taking part in an online ‘breath test’ in Parliament. The Crawley MP is now encouraging people across town to do the same as part of the Listen to your Lungs campaign.

Henry said;

“Completing the British Lung Foundation’s online ‘breath test’ is a really easy way of checking your lung health. I’d encourage everyone to try it – it’ll either give you peace of mind or start you on a path to help manage breathlessness.

“65 per cent of people underestimate the proportion of deaths in the UK caused by lung disease, it kills someone every five minutes.

“If you’re even slightly worried a loved one has been feeling increasingly short of breath, please make sure they take this test.”

The British Lung Foundation were in Westminster last week, showcasing their upcoming Listen to your Lungs campaign to MPs. The national campaign which starts this month aims to raise awareness that feeling out of breath doing everyday tasks could be a sign of lung disease.

Steven Wibberley, Chief Operating Officer at the British Lung Foundation said;

“This exhibition gives us the opportunity to throw the spotlight on breathlessness, which can be a sign of lung disease. Fewer than half of us would be concerned at feeling short of breath doing daily tasks. Often people put it down to age or fitness, and don’t seek advice from their GP.

“It’s great to have the support of Henry Smith MP in encouraging people to ‘Listen to their Lungs’ if they feel breathless. Together we can ensure that those people who are suffering with an undiagnosed lung condition seek help and get the support they need.

“With treatment, people can live longer, healthier lives.”

The exhibition gave MPs, Peers and visitors to Parliament a chance to find out more about lung disease in the UK and to test their lung health using an online ‘breath test’, displayed on an interactive display donated by technology company MultiTaction. The Public Health Minister, Jane Ellison MP, launched the exhibition and ‘breath test’ in Parliament on 4th July.

The test allows people to check their health through 10 simple questions, based around the Medical Research Council breathlessness scale. The aim is to reassure people who do not have a problem, and guide those with significant breathlessness to make an appointment with their GP.

The British Lung Foundation wants at least 100,000 people to take the test and share it with their friends and family.

The Listen to your Lungs campaign complements the launch of Public Health England’s national Be Clear on Cancer campaign on 14th July, raising awareness of persistent coughing and inappropriate breathlessness as possible symptoms of lung disease, including lung cancer, and heart disease.

For more information and to take the test, please visit: www.blf.org.uk/breathtest