Delegates of the virtual European Respiratory Society (ERS) International Congress 2020 have taken part in the Virtual Congress Challenge to raise money for the Healthy Lungs for Life campaign and spread its important messages.
Healthy Lungs for Life is a global lung health campaign, raising awareness of the importance of lung health through a range of activities and projects. The key themes are: air quality, physical activity, stopping smoking and vaccination.
We encouraged delegates of the first ever virtual ERS Congress to get active and count their kilometres during September, aiming to reach a set distance such as from their home town to a past or future Congress destination. Throughout the month, 90 supporters took part; they ran, walked, swam and cycled 9,293 kilometres to raise money and help spread the campaign’s key messages.
That is equivalent to someone travelling from:
ELF would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all the teams and individuals who took part in the challenge:
Teams
We Belung Together team East and North Herts respiratory and sleep team (2,099km)
Team Pippa & Kjeld (689km)
The ELF-ies (549km)
ciTechCare Team (333km)
Team Stranderson (200km)
Ciro Team NL
REVALRESPI’s
ERS CMG Congress Challenge Team
SenTec
GiRespi
Respire Saudável
Galapagos Healthy Lungs Team
Pixeled Eggs
Individuals
Jess Shull (1,316km)
Anouk Vaes (614km)
Pieter Meyns (480km)
Martin Henschke (313km)
Patrícia Chaves Coertjens (300km)
Jana De Brant (265km)
Chelsea Lee (214km)
Bertrand Verwee (182km)
Maria Nichol (176km)
Andrea Aliverti (150km)
Jeannet D (140km)
Roberta Frontini (137km)
Chris Digneffe (133km)
Marcelo Coertjens (116km)
Simona Biancu (105km)
Lotte Janssens (98km)
Xenophondas Holevas (86km)
Chris Burtin (83km)
Rachel Gozzard (77km)
Argyrios Tzouvelekis (56km)
Stavros Oikonomou (53km)
Rocio Garcia Garcia (40km)
Mitja Jevnikar (36km)
Adam Balias (33km)
Lucas Chaves Coertjens (33km)
Rodrigo Chaves Coertjens (31km) (Youngest participant – 9 years old)
Loes Moors (31km)
Ioanna Nikoloutsou (23km)
Chun Ian Soo (18km)
Vassilis Papanastasiou (17km)
George Drampas (14km)
Maarten Vanherck (12km)
Roy Meys (10km)
Foteini Skoura (9km)
Deborah Birrell (8km)
Miranda Coenjaerds (5km)
Adelita Diaz
Allegra Roccato
Anders Bugge
Anouk Stoffels
Diego Poddighe
Fabian Hilti
Felipe Machado
Frits Franssen
Giorgos Emmanouil
Giulia Passanisi
Glynos Konstantinos
Joana Cruz
Joci Martins
Kiki Waeijen
Karla Wienert
Kirsten Quadflieg
Lauren Anderson
Leo Ntallas
Maria Guranio
Marina Papatryfon
Marlene Lages
Nádia Hipólito
Nuno Morais
Nuria Novoa Valentin
Remi Luszkiewicz
Roger Strain
Sofia Efklidou
Sofia Flora
Sonia Goncalves Pereira
Sina Kohlbrenner
Veronica Alfieri
Yvonne Goërtz
Zafeiria Barmparessou
The aim of the challenge was to encourage individuals to #TakeTheActiveOption, and to raise €5,000 for the campaign. Combined efforts have raised over €4,000 from supporters who have sponsored participants and donated to the campaign. ELF would like to say a huge thanks to who has donated.
Currently, the highest individual donations have been made from Galapagos (€500), Sepas Seraj (€55), Jana De Brandt (€55).
When asked why they wanted to provide such a generous donation, Marina Sardone from Galapagos explained, “We are proud to support the Virtual Congress Challenge to raise awareness on lung health and we welcome the European Lung Foundation initiative in support of Healthy Lungs for Life. For us at Galapagos, this represents a great opportunity to pioneer for patients.
“At Galapagos everything we do is with patients in mind. We are committed to listen to patients to understand their daily challenges and unmet needs. By using our scientific knowledge, our partnerships, and our passion to make a difference, we are striving to focus our medicine development on the outcomes that truly matter to patients.”
You can still donate directly to the campaign until 31 October 2020 by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/hlfl-virtualcongresschallenge.
