As wildfires grow more intense and frequent in British Columbia, some of the best and brightest minds in lung health research in British Columbia have come together to collaborate on ‘Lungs On Fire’. This 5-year, 2 million dollar grant funded by CIHR (Canadian Institutes of Health Research) will further investigate the long-term health effects of wildfire smoke and how wildfire smoke exposure can impact individuals differently across 3 research pillars. The research produced through Lungs On Fire will focus on exploring wildfire smoke exposures, measuring the impacts of air pollution on lung disease (asthma and COPD), identifying lung cancer risk from pollution among non-smokers, and evaluating and catering health messages for the public.

Over the summer, Airwaves & Airways will be featuring an episode focused on each of the 3 research pillars as we pull the curtain back on the research process and dive into this exciting new investigation that will shine a new light on the health impacts of wildfire smoke. This episode focuses on the experimental lab methods and administrative health data analysis pillar of the project. To learn more, we chat with Dr. Christopher Carlsten, and Dr. Stephanie Cleland about their work including the barriers, design, and hypotheses of their studies.

Referenced links:

• Be sure to check out the Lungs On Fire 2025 Speaker Series featuring 4 different speakers discussing wildfire smoke and its impacts! Available on Legacy for Airway Health’s YouTube channel: Lungs On Fire Speaker Series 1: What Should Be the Goals of Public Health Guidance?
• Sign up to view future presentations by emailing Dr. Stephanie Harvard at stephanie.harvard@ubc.ca

In this month's episode we chat about firefighting and lung health and explore the respiratory risks associated with increased exposure to smoke, and how firefighters can keep themselves protected while on the job. As we head into wildfire season, many communities are bracing for smoky conditions as the fires are becoming more frequent and intense every year. Wildfires produce significant amounts of smoke, and our firefighters are the first responders to tackle these dangerous conditions. So, when your duty requires you to expose yourself to dangerous chemicals and particulates, how do you mitigate risk, and how can firefighters stay prepared and stay safe while on the job? To learn more, we are joined by Tom DeSorcy, Retired Fire Chief from Hope, BC, and BC Lung’s Board Chair, and Brian Hutchinson, the Superintendent of Provincial Operations – Fire Services with the BC Wildfire Service, and the former Fire Chief of the District of North Vancouver Fire & Rescue Services.

Referenced links:

• National Fire Protection Association Standard –NFPA 1981 - https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/nfpa-1981-standard-development/1981
• Register for Climb the Wall 2026 - https://secure3.convio.net/bclung/site/TR?fr_id=1150&pg=entry

Tuberculosis, also known as “TB” is a disease caused by bacteria that usually attacks the lungs. Despite being preventable and treatable, TB remains one of the top infectious disease killers worldwide. World TB Day is March 24th and commemorates the day that Dr. Robert Koch shared his discovery of the bacterium that causes TB, leading to advancements in diagnosing and treating TB. It is a day to remember the immense devastation that TB has had and continues to have worldwide, including Canada.

In honour of World TB Day, we chat with Dr. Jay Johnston, the Evaluation Lead for Provincial TB Services at the BC Centre for Disease Control, and the former Head of Respiratory Medicine Division at Vancouver General Hospital. Tune in to learn more about the history of TB, barriers to preventing TB, and emerging research in eradicating this disease.

Referenced links:

• Dr. Johnston is the President of the North American region of the International Union against TB and Lung Diseases (The Union). The Annual TB Conference was held in Vancouver this year from Feb 26 – March 1. You can view the conference presentations at bclung.ca/nar.
• For more information about TB and you can visit the World Health Organization’s website: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tuberculosis
• For information on how to support and advocate you can visit stoptb.org.
• Visit the BC CDC’s website for info on TB testing and tuberculosis clinics in the lower mainland: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/tuberculosis

On this episode of Airwaves & Airways we're chatting about patient engagement! Patient engagement involves building a collaborative relationship between patients, caregivers, researchers, and decision makers. There are many benefits to having patients and their caregivers involved throughout the research process. This practice is becoming increasing integrated into research as it allows patients to contribute firsthand experiences, identify gaps in healthcare, and confirm that research and studies are relevant and valuable to help improve care.

One organization making great strides with patient engagement is Legacy for Airway Health, who has developed a Community Partner Committee, comprised of around 14 individuals from diverse backgrounds affected by COPD or asthma. So, to chat about patient-oriented research, we are joined by Dr. Stephanie Harvard (researcher) and Tony Lanier (patient partner) to learn more about this innovative research process. If you’d like to learn more about patient engagement and patient-oriented research, you can visit Legacy for Airway Health’s website at legacyairwayhealth.ca.

Additional resources:

• Patient and Citizen Engagement in Research: https://sporevidencealliance.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/6.-SPOREA-COVIDEND_Patient-and-Citizen-Engagement-Tips.pdf
• Difference between patient partner and patient participant: What is POR? | Patient-Oriented Research Repository (ubc.ca)
• Tips for being a patient partner (Page 1): Patient Engagement - Teams (healthresearchbc.ca)
• Tips for research teams (Page 2): Patient Engagement - Teams (healthresearchbc.ca)
• Interested in learning about what frequently used health research terms mean? Try using: CIHR Jargon Buster: https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/48952.html

Airwaves & Airways is back with the 1st episode for 2025! For National Non-Smoking Week, we're talking about QuitNow! To support British Columbians in going smoke and vape free, the government of British Columbia has funded QuitNow, a free program to quit or reduce nicotine, which is delivered by BC Lung Foundation. Sheila Matano, Director of Health Promotion and Tobacco Interventions for QuitNow, discusses common obstacles, strategies, and support addressed through the program to demonstrate how QuitNow is designed to support everyone in their quit journey! To learn more about QuitNow and how to get started on your quit journey, visit quitnow.ca. You can also call the help line by dialing 1-877-455-2233.

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:

• To learn more about recommended vaccines for your age/medical condition: https://immunizebc.ca/adults/recommended-vaccines
• Information on extra protection options: https://immunizebc.ca/adults/recommended-vaccines#Extra%20protection
• Book an appointment for COVID-19 and/or Influenza: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/vaccine/register
• Immunize.io for vaccine FAQs, options, and updates - https://immunize.io/
• To find an immunization clinic, schedules, and records - https://immunizebc.ca/
• BC Lung's resources on immunizations and infections - https://bclung.ca/lung-health/immunization-infections/
• GSK Arexvy now has 3 seasons of protection: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv/gsk-rsv-vaccine-data-suggest-protection-across-3-seasons

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.

In this month's 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:

• bclung.ca/childhoodasthma : resources including handouts, infographics, and asthma action plans. On this page you can also find info about BC Lung’s asthma education camps, and a list of pediatric asthma clinics across BC.
• asthma.ca/get-help/resources/ : toolkits, action plans, and other resources.
• asthma.ca/what-we-do/helpline/ : Asthma & allergy helpline info from Asthma Canada
• bclung.ca/Lung Health Condition/childhood-asthma/asthma-action-plans-for-children/ : Asthma action plans for children
• Childhood Asthma: A Guide for Families and Caregivers :Childhood Asthma a Guide for Families & Caregivers video