The Ontario Lung Association, the province’s largest lung health charity, has elected IIDR member Dr. Dawn Bowdish to its Board of Directors.
Since 2012, Bowdish has been involved in a number of the Association’s public awareness initiatives, including its most recent Breathing as One campaign – a vital fundraising effort with a goal of $10 million.
“I’m excited to support the Lung Association’s mandate to improve the lives of those living with lung disease and to increase research funding in lung research,” says Bowdish, an associate professor in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine.
“I’ll be using every opportunity I have to promote the world-class research and clinical care that McMaster offers to those living with lung disease.”
While serving on the Board, Bowdish intends to campaign for Bill 41, Lung Health Act – an act to establish the Lung Health Advisory Council and develop a provincial action plan respecting lung disease.
“Despite the fact that 1 in 5 Ontarians live with lung disease, it is the only chronic disease we do not have a provincial action plan for,” Bowdish explains.
“This would entail having advisors, including researchers, clinicians and patients, readily available to make recommendations to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care regarding lung health issues.”
