12th Lung Symposium in Hattingen – We were there!
Author
Bernd Dobbert
Lung patients and experts in direct exchange
The "Lung" symposium has been held annually since 2007 and is considered not only by patients and their families to be an outstanding information event on COPD/pulmonary emphysema in Germany, but is also seen by leading pulmonologists as an important platform for direct contact with patients. We at Alpha1 Germany were there.
Learn more in the video report of the event by the patient organization Lung Emphysema-COPD Germany.
Watch the video
Report: 12th Lung Symposium 2019
On Saturday, September 7, 2019, I set off early in the morning for Hattingen. I had been looking forward to this day for a long time because I generally enjoy working at the booth, seeing many familiar faces, and being able to actively make a difference.
This year there were three of us at the stand; Marion and Uwe had arrived a day earlier. The atmosphere at the stands was very good from the start.
It quickly became clear that two people at the booth were sufficient. This allowed us to divide our time effectively, attend some interesting presentations, talk to members and people affected by COPD, and visit other booths without neglecting our own.
At the Grifols booth, COPD patients could get tested for Alpha1 deficiency. The response was very strong; we sent many affected individuals to the booth, and by the end of the symposium, we were proud to report that 150 people had been tested. It's great to see that the importance of this test has become more widely known.
For this reason alone, it's very important to have a stand in Hattingen again next year. There are so many new patients who need important information and to whom we need to explain the importance of abstaining from tobacco and the necessity of exercise. Our entire disease is very complex and needs to be explained again and again, even if we ourselves don't always understand all the connections.
In the afternoon, there was also an opportunity to speak with some of the doctors and plan further joint activities. The booth was visited by people with Alpha-1 syndrome who had not yet heard of Alpha-1 Germany. Perhaps one or two of them will now become members.
In general, I've noticed over the past few years that there are more and more people with COPD; the event will continue and grow in importance in the coming years. We at Alpha1 Germany must continue to make our presence felt here as well.
Towards the end of the symposium, we definitely felt how intense the day had been. We were glad when we had packed the booth and all the materials back into the car.
Marion, Uwe and I want to work at the booth again next year and we are already looking forward to it.
