Global lung health campaign brings together voices from around the world

Global Voices 2025 is an international campaign by the European Lung Foundation (ELF) and the European Respiratory Society (ERS) that gave people with lung conditions, and those who support them, a platform to share their experiences.

Participants were invited to submit a photo and a short quote about their life and respiratory health, whether they are a patient, caregiver, family member or healthcare professional. The campaign also welcomed submissions from anyone affected by breathing-related challenges, such as air pollution, workplace exposures or inequalities in healthcare access, even without a formal lung diagnosis.

Why this campaign matters

• Humanising lung health: By amplifying real stories, Global Voices 2025 helps to make respiratory health more relatable for both medical professionals and the general public.
• Global representation: The initiative highlighted experiences from many countries, reflecting how lung health and access to care differs across regions and healthcare systems.
• Visibility at the ERS Congress 2025 and other global events: Submissions were used to create a visual installation in the “World Village” at the ERS Congress 2025, as well as the events alongside the 80th UN General Assembly in New York.
• Advocacy and awareness: The campaign contributes to ELF’s broader goals by giving patients’ voices and experience a platform to make change, as well as building communities around lung conditions.

Who took part

The campaign brought together 200 people from more than 30 countries across Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, Oceania and Latin America. Every photograph and quote form a global display of strength, resilience and community, reminding us that lung health affects us all.

Many of the campaign’s submissions came from people living with at least one lung condition and they shared how their daily lives are shaped by lung disease. They were joined by healthcare professionals, lung health advocates and caregivers, creating a powerful mix of voices and perspectives and giving insight into the wider world of lung health.

• 130 people living with a lung condition
• 30 healthcare professionals
• 65 advocates, organisation representatives, and researchers
• 7 family members or caregivers

The most common conditions featured in the campaign included Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma and bronchiectasis. Others shared their experiences with rare conditions like lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), pulmonary hypertension, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis and Alpha‑1 antitrypsin deficiency.

The total number of lung conditions present counts only unique submissions and will not include any additional counts for individuals who submitted more than once.