Not Just Difficulty Breathing! COPD Awareness Month 2020

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November marks COPD Awareness Month. Now more than ever, let's bring awareness to what it's like to live with a chronic lung condition like chronic bronchitis and emphysema! We can inform others what life COPD is really like.

This year, we’re all about making your voice heard and letting others know this disease goes far beyond just difficulty breathing. Below, we’ve got tools for connecting and making the most of COPD awareness.

Enter our giveaway!

Until November 30th, you can enter our Dinner's on Us Giveaway. You could win up to $75 for meals of your choosing!

To enter, let us know what you think others should know about COPD or why you think COPD awareness is important on a thread in our Forums section.

Head here to enter!

Add a Facebook frame!

Add our custom frame to your current Facebook profile picture by clicking here and following the instructions provided in the comments!

Share your story

Spread COPD awareness by sharing your personal story with us. How did you feel getting diagnosed? What was the process like? How has your life changed since your diagnosis?

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Join the conversation!

Do you feel that COPD gets enough awareness? What would you like to share with others about your COPD? Join the discussion and tell us in our forums section!

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Not just difficulty breathing!

Check out these popular articles on other COPD complications

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leo4u Member
The other day I received a complement from a old friend that I had not seen for some time, I thanked him with a smile. Most people have no idea what COPD is and what this disabilitating illness has on a person mentally. I do not even try these days, only the one's that live with it understand, that smile I gave my old friend on that day hid so many of my fears.
affxwj Member
Hi, Carol... I feel that I need to reply to your post about your decision to turn down the chance to get a lung transplant. As you say, that decision is a very personal one, and must necessarily be different for each person. I hope that your lungs are in good enough shape to maintain you for a long time! About 10 years ago, I was faced with the same decision. Unlike you, I was not in a position to turn down any possibilities. My FEV1 was running about 12%, and I had pretty well resigned myself to an unpleasant death when a good friend started pushing me to investigate a transplant. I finally did so, and discovered that St. Joseph's Medical Center in Phoenix did not have a hard and fast rule on age of transplant recipients. They relied more on the general health of the patient, coupled with the multitude of tests that they use to qualify them. I had 15 years of pretty vigorous exercise since my diagnosis, and I was in pretty good shape except for my lungs. It came down to a choice...go for the transplant or die. I had maybe two years left, and I did not want to leave my wife of 47 years. She in turn expressed her thoughts, which revolved around the fact that she was not done with me quite yet. To sum up our experience, I went into the operation with the highest of hopes, and my wishes were granted! The operation and the recovery were very successful, and I have had almost 10 years with Mary that I would not have had otherwise. They have been a wonderful 10 years! We traveled extensively in the US and to London, speaking about our experiences and teaching folks how to survive with COPD. Your fear of rejection is valid. However, research has shown that only a part of rejection episodes are the result of organ failure or mismatch or whatever. The rest are caused by noncompliance on the part of the patient. Failure to comply with medication requirements, refusal to exercise, and other bad habits kill a lot of transplant patients. That, in my view, is simply the wasting of a magnificent gift! Your desire to avoid being a "burden" to your husband is, in my opinion, a bit misguided. I understand your feelings, but the burden of watching you slowly expire, followed by the terrible loss of your death, would seem to me to be a somewhat greater burden. Just sayin' The anti-rejection drugs are indeed a factor. There are a lot of them, and some of them do have side effects, but I have tolerated them quite will for a long time. If you are on Social Security, you are also on Medicare. That being the case, there are reasonable medigap policies available from several companies. My policy has been very good to us, and our out-of-pocket costs have been minimal. I am sure that there are some religions that frown on transplantation, but I do not know of any offhand. My lungs came from a young Mormon runner, and we have become very close with his large and accepting family. I am glad that you are at peace with your decision "for now"...That would seen to indicate that you might be open to changing your mind at some point. I will never regret our decision. I urge you to keep losing the excess weight, and to adopt (or continue) an exercise regimen. Staying in shape has saved my life in more ways than one. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on transplantation! I just felt that I needed to give a little bit of the other side of the story. Stay well!! Uncle Jim
1. Leon Lebowitz, RRT Member
 Hi Uncle Jim - thanks so much for sharing your story here, in response to Carol's article, which can be accessed at this link: <a href='https://copd.net/living/lung-transplant-decision' target='_blank'>https://copd.net/living/lung-transplant-decision/</a>. We appreciate your candor. You've shared a beautiful and very practical side of this procedure, your outlook, and your life! Warm regards, Leon (site moderator <a href='https://copd.net' target='_blank'>COPD.net</a>)