Dimitris Kontopidis is Chair of the European Lung Foundation (ELF).
A long-standing advocate for people living with lung conditions, Dimitris has spent more than a decade working to improve patient rights, access to care and healthcare policy across Europe. He has held leadership roles within organisations including Cystic Fibrosis Europe and the Greek Patient Association. As ELF Chair, he is leading a campaign focused on achieving equal access to lung transplantation across Europe.
The ERS Congress is one of the few places where patients, healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers and advocates come together with a shared goal: improving lung health.
For me, that is what makes the congress so special. It is not only about scientific discoveries or new clinical developments. It is also about meaningful conversations, shared learning and building partnerships that can create real change for people living with lung conditions.
I am particularly looking forward to hearing directly from patients and seeing how patient perspectives continue to be embedded throughout the programme. The strongest respiratory community is one where people work together as equal partners, and with patients involved in almost 90 sessions, the 2026 congress is a wonderful example of that in action.
This theme could not be more important.
For many years, healthcare systems have been designed around professionals making decisions for patients. Today, we know that the best outcomes happen when patients, clinicians and researchers work together. Patients bring lived experience, healthcare professionals bring clinical expertise and researchers bring innovation. Each perspective is essential.
As someone who has spent much of my life navigating healthcare systems and advocating for change, I know first-hand how powerful genuine partnership can be. When people are listened to, respected and involved in decisions, healthcare becomes more effective, more equitable and more human.
I expect several important themes to stand out.
Patient involvement in research and healthcare design will continue to grow in importance, and rightly so. More researchers and healthcare teams are recognising that involving patients from the beginning leads to better outcomes and more meaningful innovation.
Health inequalities will also remain an important topic. Across Europe, access to diagnosis, treatment and specialist care still varies greatly. Discussions around access, equity and reducing disparities are vital if we want to ensure no one is left behind.
I also expect strong interest in personalised care, digital health and how health services can turn innovation into improvements that patients can access in practice.
Prevention and environmental health will remain high on the agenda, alongside the wider social factors that influence lung health, such as housing, poverty and access to healthcare services.
I am especially interested in the four patient-centred studio sessions, the patient community space in the World Village and ELF’s annual Patient Organisation Networking Day, which will bring together patient organisations and healthcare professionals to connect, share experiences and learn from one another.
Some of the most valuable discussions happen when people from different backgrounds share their experiences and challenge each other to think differently. These sessions often move beyond scientific findings and focus on how we can improve care in the real world.
I am also interested in discussions around healthcare equity, patient empowerment and system-level change. Scientific advances are incredibly important, but we also need to ensure that people can access those advances regardless of where they live.
There are several sessions that I believe will be particularly relevant for patients, advocates and anyone interested in building a more person-centred respiratory community.
“ELF Patient Organisation Networking Day 2026: Dismantling the divide: patients and professionals as one team” – 10:00 to 17:30, Saturday 5 September
This session captures a principle that has guided much of my advocacy work and I am excited to be taking part alongside many patient representatives involved as chairs and speakers, including incoming ELF Chair Phil Taverner, Stefano Pavanello, Carlos Pons, Eliza Kompatsiari, Éric Salone, Alba Ubide, Debra Montague, Jean-Michel Fourrier, Haneefa Alam, Oksana Kulish-Skåra and Marion Wilkens.
Healthcare works best when patients and professionals see themselves as partners with a shared goal. Patient Organisation Networking Day provides an opportunity to learn from each other, discuss common challenges and build relationships that can drive change long after Congress has ended.
“Meaningful patient involvement in research” – 11:30 to 12:15, Monday 7 September
Patient involvement should not be an afterthought. Through my work in patient advocacy, I have seen how research becomes more relevant and impactful when patients are involved from the beginning rather than consulted at the end.
Patients have unique knowledge about living with disease, navigating treatment pathways and managing daily challenges. When that knowledge is included in research, the results are often more relevant, more impactful and more likely to improve people’s lives.
I am looking forward to hearing practical examples of how meaningful involvement can be achieved through this patient-centred studio session.
“The power of patient partnerships” – 15:30 to 17:00, Monday 7 September
Partnership is one of the most powerful tools we have to improve lung health.
I am excited to be co-chairing this patient-centred symposium with incoming ELF Chair, Phil Taverner. This session reflects a growing recognition that patients are not simply recipients of care. They are leaders, educators, innovators and contributors to research and policy. Strong partnerships help create services that better meet the needs of the people they are designed to support.
“Breathing easy: addressing air, housing and poverty in patient care” – 10:15 to 11:00, Tuesday 8 September
Lung health is shaped by much more than medicine alone. Working with patient communities across Europe, I have seen first-hand how these factors can determine whether someone is able to manage their condition effectively. Air quality, living conditions and economic circumstances all have a significant impact on health outcomes.
I am pleased to see these wider determinants of health being discussed in this patient-centred studio session because improving lung health requires us to look beyond clinical care and address the conditions in which people live.
“Lung transplantation: a dialogue between patients and professionals” – 11:15 to 12:45, Wednesday 9 September
This session is especially close to my heart. Lung transplantation can offer life-changing opportunities for some people living with advanced lung disease, but access to transplantation still varies significantly across Europe.
As co-chair, what excites me about this session is the focus on dialogue. Improving access is not simply a clinical challenge. It requires collaboration between patients, professionals, healthcare systems and policymakers. Conversations like these are essential if we are to reduce inequalities and ensure that every person has access to the best possible care.
My message is simple: be curious, be collaborative and be open to different perspectives.
Whether you are a patient, healthcare professional, researcher or policymaker, we all have something valuable to contribute. Some of the most important lessons at Congress come from conversations that happen outside the lecture hall.
Together, we can build a future where every person has access to high-quality lung healthcare, where patient voices are heard and where progress benefits everyone.
That is what being united for better breathing means to me.
Explore all ELF events and patient-focused sessions taking place throughout the ERS Congress 2026, including opportunities to connect with patients, carers and advocacy organisations from across Europe.
