White paper: “Paving The Way For Immunization Innovation” with the Lung Association Ontario

November is Lung Month – what do older adults need to know about pneumonia?

Dr Bowdish is the Canadian Lung Association’s spokesperson for World Pneumonia Day (November 12, 2018). Here she discusses the importance of being vaccinated for pneumonia….

She also speaks to Zoomer Magazine about pneumonia, vaccinations and the aging immune system here…

To get a sense of the other lung research going on in the Bowdish lab, see our Instagram page: house.macrophage

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Dawn participates in the Steeltown Stairclimb to raise money for the Ontario Lung Association

On February 3rd 2018, Dawn will be doing the Steeltown Stairclimb to raise money for the Lung Association.
To donate, see her page

http://support.on.lung.ca/site/TR/StepUpampBreathe/StepUpClimbEvent?px=2041173&pg=personal&fr_id=1160

Not only does the Lung Association support research into lung infections and lung health but it advocates for the 1 in 5 Ontarians living with lung disease. One of our major successes this year was passing Bill 71 in provincial parliament which means we now have a Lung Advisory board consisting of patients, caregivers, clinicians and importantly, researchers, to create a Lung Health Action plan and tangible goals to improve lung health in our province. Please consider a donation!

Here’s the CHCH news clip on the event:

SteelTown Stair Climb

#TakeABreather at the Lung Association’s Pop-up Park.

On average, everyone takes an astonishing 22,000 breaths per day – something we’re not conscious of doing.  And, although breathing is fundamental to life, lung research doesn’t get the attention it truly needs.

November is Lung Month, the perfect time to reinforce and remind Canadians how important it is to #TakeABreather. To capture attention, invite participation and help raise donations for lung research, The Lung Association is launching interactive pop-up parks across Canada.

Joseph Neale is a "Breathing Ambassador" who survived lung cancer when he was only 20 years old. Despite having surgery he got his voice back and is hoping to win a "Grammy for Lung Cancer Research". Together we answered questions at the #TakeABreather pop-up park at Sherway Gardens. Stories like his remind me that I need to be the best scientist that I can be to make the discoveries that will improve the lives of those living with lung disease.

Joseph Neale is a “Breathing Ambassador” who survived lung cancer when he was only 20 years old. Despite having surgery he got his voice back and is hoping to win a “Grammy for Lung Cancer Research”. Together we answered questions at the #TakeABreather pop-up park at Sherway Gardens. Stories like his remind me that I need to be the best scientist that I can be to make the discoveries that will improve the lives of those living with lung disease.

Highlight’s of the kick off were livestreamed on Breathing as One’s Facebook Page – be sure to check them out!

It was such an honour to hear Joseph's story of overcoming lung cancer and to share what the research community is working on. We all agreed - more money for lung research!

It was such an honour to hear Joseph’s story of overcoming lung cancer and to share what the research community is working on. We all agreed – more money for lung research!

Remember, everything shared with #takeabreather is being curated at breathingasone.ca – take a look and make your contribution today!

Don’t forget, there are three ways that you can get involved:

VISIT THE POP-UP PARK

  • Pop in and take a breather and a selfie, and share it on social
    Nuno Lourenço (Balanced Heart Being) led us through a yoga practice at the pop-up park.

    Nuno Lourenço (Balanced Heart Being) led us through a yoga practice at the pop-up park.

    media with #takeabreather

  • We even have our very own custom #takeabreather Snapchat filter – but you’ll have to visit to see it!
  • Location: Sherway Gardens (25 The West Mall)
  • When: Thursday, Nov. 3 (11:00-8:00); Friday, Nov. 4 (11:00-8:00); Saturday, Nov. 5 (10:30-8:00); Sunday, Nov. 6 (12:00-5:00)

SHARE #TAKEABREATHER ON SOCIAL MEDIA

  • Can’t visit the park? Instead, show us your favourite time and place to take a breather with #takeabreather
  • It could be anywhere, anytime – in a field, on a hillside, at dawn or sunset, at the gym, or watching your kids play
  • Tell us why you love breathing, why you love this particular breathing moment, what your breath does for you, and any other breathing thoughts you want to share
  • Don’t forget #takeabreather
  • All contributions will be curated at BreathingasOne.ca

    It was great to meet the health and wellness bloggers who supported the #TakeABreather event! Darlene Anderson (The New Girl), Cory Lee (The Fashion Set), Joseph Neale (Take a Breather & Breathing as One Ambassador), Dr. Dawn Bowdish (Board Member), Marybeth DeSantos (Life in Rouge)

    It was great to meet the health and wellness bloggers who supported the #TakeABreather event! Darlene Anderson (The New Girl), Cory Lee (The Fashion Set), Joseph Neale (Take a Breather & Breathing as One Ambassador), Dr. Dawn Bowdish (Board Member), Marybeth DeSantos (Life in Rouge)

SPREAD THE WORD

  • Challenge your friends, family, and extended networks to #takeabreather by forwarding the information above!

It’s time Canadians stop taking our breath for granted. Through Breathing as One and the #TakeABreather campaign, together, we can lead the conversation, and radically change the way we think about breathing.

The Bowdish lab thanks a 5 year old philanthropist for donating $5 of her allowance to our research!

Running a research lab is expensive (very expensive!) and the vast majority of funding to the Bowdish lab comes from taxpayers by way of agencies like the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and the National Science and Engineering Council or from generous donations to non-profit agencies like the Ontario Lung Association. We do get donations from individuals on occasion and these are even more special to us because they mean that our work has inspired someone to donate their hard-earned dollars. Below is a particularly heart-warming story of a 5 year old who donated $5 of her allowance to help us keep all the grandmas and grandpas healthy. The video below shows what we bought with that money and allows us to express our thanks.

Your donations, no matter how big or small, are special to us. They strengthen our resolve to work harder and smarter to make research breakthroughs, the inspire us to communicate our research with you, the public, and they remind us of that we are working for you, the public.
If you are inspired to donate money for research to improve lung health we’d encourage you to consider donating to the Ontario Lung Association’s Breathing as One campaign.

The McMaster Immunology Research Centre is fundraising with the Lung Association to create a new PhD scholarship in lung health. If you would like to donate to that, please contact Dr Bowdish at bowdish@mcmaster.ca or Dr. Carl Richards (director)richards@mcmaster.ca .

And lastly, if you’ve been inspired by the work of the Bowdish lab and would like to make a donation, thank you! Please contact Dr. Bowdish (bowdish@mcmaster.ca, 905-525-9140 x22313)

Thank you to all our donors. Thank you for your generosity and your belief in our work!

Dr Bowdish gives a deputation at Queen’s Park in support of Bill 41, The Lung Health Act.

The Bowdish lab has been working with the Ontario Lung Association to encourage politicians to support Bill #41 – The Lung Health Act. You may not be aware that of all the common chronic diseases (e.g. cardiovascular, diabetes), lung disease is the only one that doesn’t have a dedicated action plan. Because of this rates of lung disease are higher then they need to be and many “best practices” for treating or preventing lung disease are not in place, compromising the health of many Ontarians and increasing health care costs. For this reason MPP Kathryn McGarry put forth a private members bill to create a Lung Health Act for Ontario. Bill 41 would entail establishing a Lung Health Advisory Council to make recommendations to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care on lung health issues; and requiring the Minister to develop and implement an Ontario Lung Health Action Plan respecting research, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of lung disease. In Novemver our lab attended a provincial lobby day where we discussed the importance of this bill with politicians.  On June 6th Dawn gave a deputation to the Committee on Social Policy on why this Bill would be of particular importance to older adults.

To see the entire 4 hours of deputations (ouch!) click here.

To read more of the FAQ around the Lung Health Act click here.

To read more about the Ontario Lung Association’s draft Lung Health Action Plan, click here. (Bonus – you can donate to the Lung Association to support this work via that link too!).

Tammy Villeneuve (OLA), Andrea Kellner, Justin Boyle, MPP Dave Levac, Kyle Novakowski, Dessi Loukov and Dr. Dawn Bowdish meet to discuss the Lung Health Act.

Tammy Villeneuve (OLA), Andrea Kellner, Justin Boyle, MPP Dave Levac, Kyle Novakowski, Dessi Loukov and Dr. Dawn Bowdish meet to discuss the Lung Health Act.

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The Bowdish lab attends lobby day in November 2015 to discuss the importance of the Lung Health Act with MPPs.

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Walter Gretzky supports the Lung Health Act – you should too! (with Justin Boyle & Dessi Loukov)

Dawn at Queen's Park after her deputation on Bill 41- The Lung Health Act. The Bowdish lab participates in democracy!

Dawn at Queen’s Park after her deputation on Bill 41- The Lung Health Act. The Bowdish lab participates in democracy!

Bowdish Lab attended Queen’s Park Lobby Day with the Ontario Lung Association!

Bowdish Lab attended Queen’s Park Lobby Day with the Ontario Lung Association!

On Monday November 30th, the last day of Lung Month, members of the Bowdish Lab joined the Ontario Lung Association to lobby for the Lung Health Act at Queen´s Park. PI Dawn Bowdish and four lab members, Andrea Kellner (visiting PhD candidate), Dessi Loukov (PhD candidate), Kyle Novakowski (PhD candidate) and Justin Boyle (undergraduate), advocated for increased funding for lung research through support of Bill 41: The Lung Health Act. It was a great honour to meet the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, David Levac and talk to him about the importance of lung health. This aim was well received and he encouraged the junior researchers to never stop pursuing their scientific goals. Afterwards the team had the opportunity to explore the stunning architecture and history of Queen´s Park, which first opened in 1860. Later the reception afforded the Bowdish lab the privilege to meet MPPs and organizing members of the Lung Association. One exceptional guest and supporter of the Lung Association is Walter Gretzky, who welcomed people warmly and never tired of giving autographs. Especially inspiring was the prospect of meeting people affected by lung diseases as well as people engaged to directly help them as respiratory educators. This emphasized the importance of research performed in the Bowdish Lab and for whom it is done for. In summary, the day highlighted how research and politics can work together to improve the lives of Ontarians and how democracy works in the context of health.

George Habib from the Ontario Lung Association discusses the importance of the Lung Health Act.

George Habib from the Ontario Lung Association discusses the importance of the Lung Health Act.

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Tammy Villeneuve (OLA), Andrea Kellner, Justin Boyle, MPP Dave Levac, Kyle Novakowski, Dessi Loukov and Dr. Dawn Bowdish meet to discuss the Lung Health Act.

Tammy Villeneuve (OLA), Andrea Kellner, Justin Boyle, MPP Dave Levac, Kyle Novakowski, Dessi Loukov and Dr. Dawn Bowdish meet to discuss the Lung Health Act.

November is Lung Month! The Bowdish lab gets involved with the Breathing As One campaign.


Research in Lung health is not nearly as well funded as it should be considering the toll it takes on patients and our healthcare system. That’s why the Bowdish lab is involved in the Lung Association’s Breathing as One campaign to raise money for lung research. Click on the picture to read the insert that was delivered in a number of newspapers (including our own Hamilton Spectator) to launch the campaign.Lung Association Breathing as One

Let Dawn wait on you at the Lung Association-MIRC Boston Pizza fundraiser!

The faculty at MIRC are doing some fundraising with the Lung Association to raise money for a studentship in Lung Health. MIRC has many researchers performing cutting edge research in lung disease (e.g. asthma, lung cancer, COPD, pneumonia) but lung research is seriously underfunded in Canada. We want to fix this by training more young people to contribute to lung health and this studentship is step one. Bring your friends & family, have dinner and support the important work our trainees are doing in lung health!

Flyer - Boston Pizza Celebrity Server Night