Innovative Project Encourages Change to Stereotypes of COPD

Our Lives, Our Air is the COPD Foundation’s inno- vative “phase two” of its Faces of COPD program. This civilian photography project encourages individuals with COPD to become involved in changing the stereo- types that come with a COPD diagnosis. Our Lives, Our Air will be a new form of a documentary designed to raise awareness of COPD and its prevention and treatment.

In order to represent the magnitude of the COPD epidemic, the project is planned to be large in scale, engaging approximately 200 citizen photographers. Each individual will use the camera to tell their story, photograph their life and share their unique experiencesof living with COPD.

Our Lives, Our Air will result in a traveling photo- graphy exhibition, as well as a book and educational outreach programs, that will reach millions worldwide. Photographs produced through this project will be carefully edited by world renowned photographers, Taj Forer and Joel Sternfeld.

The final photographs will poignantly and respectfully represent the realities of COPD in various geographic regions in the United States and the world with beauty and power. It is clear that powerful, visual educational programs and messages have an impact.

Our Lives, Our Air will provide a significant visual program that will re-define the face of COPD and share stories of the global epidemic. With increased awareness leading to increased testing and education, COPD will affect fewer people and those affected will have the most effective medical care possible to improve their overall quality of life. Our Lives, Our Air has the potential to impact generations of men, women and children across the globe.

For more information about Our Lives, Our Air and how to participate, visit www.ourlivesourair.org.Faces of COPD is also a program of the COPD Foundation. The people who are sharing their stories are informed, educated and empowered and want to share their COPD story with you at www.shareyourcopd story.com.