
Alberta Lung’s Breathing Space will be the first facility of its kind in Canada. It will provide a sanctuary for lung transplant patients and their families, giving them much needed ‘breathing space’ in their fight to regain their strength and vitality.


ONE IN FIVE
Albertans + Canadians are living with lung disease.
One in five Albertans and one in five Canadians are living with lung disease. Lung disease can strike anyone. The firefighter who breathes toxic fumes while saving lives, the athlete diagnosed with a rare lung disease, the child with cystic fibrosis who might not live to see adulthood.
For some, their only hope to stay alive is a lung transplant.
Edmonton is one of only four centres in Canada that offers lung transplant surgery. And the organ donation and transplantation system at the University of Alberta Hospital, is the second largest and most comprehensive organ and tissue transplant program in Canada.
The transplant program is ranked sixth in the world for transplanting excellence in clinical care and research. In terms of patient outcomes, it ranks in the top 10 per cent worldwide.
The path towards transplant requires tremendous mental, emotional and financial commitment. Our health care system covers the costs of the surgery, but patients and families face tens of thousands of dollars in out of pocket expenses for travel, living arrangements, food and medication.
Patients who qualify for a lung transplant must travel to the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton with a support person. This means two people are required to leave their homes, jobs and community, pay to stay in temporary accommodations for months, and commit to long distance travel for checkups and medical appointments. It is a significant and often daunting financial and emotional burden.
For this reason, the decision of whether or not to pursue this life-saving surgery is determined by a patient’s financial means, rather than on their chance of recovery. Some, choose death over placing this financial burden on their family and loved ones.

CAMPAIGN LEADERSHIP
Jackie Rae Greening, Honourary Chair
Alexis Harke – Co-Chair
Dianne Young – Co-Chair
Mike Klein
Dr. Dale Lien
Anne Marie Downey
Tara Berrett
Brian Senio
Leigh Allard
CAMPAIGN GOAL OF $15 MILLION
LEGACY GIFT NAMING OPPORTUNITIES

“Waiting for a transplant is a surreal process. Your entire perspective on life changes. Breathing Space is going to be an incredible thing for patients. To be able to have both privacy and the ability to interact with others going through the same thing you are and not have to worry about the financial obligation… it’s truly a gift”!
ICHow You Can Help
To reach the dream of helping more people and saving more lives, we need financial contributions, gifts of goods and services, and volunteer support to take us to the necessary goal of $15 million. Every contribution matters. And every contribution makes a difference.
Breathing Space needs your support to become a reality. And patients whose lives depend on a lung transplant, need Breathing Space to help them realize a second chance at life.
For information, please contact:
Taryn Moorhouse, tmoorhouse@ablung.ca
