Health equity, cross-system collaboration, and innovative thinking take center stage at this open-to-all event series
Presented by the Lung Health Foundation, Breathe Change has been introducing Canadians to the hottest topics in lung health since 2023. These free and accessible events turn advocacy into action by bringing diverse groups together to celebrate actionable, real-world solutions to critical gaps in our healthcare system.
“Breathe Change is about addressing gaps by thinking differently – and in many cases, it’s about thinking bigger,” adds Riley Sanders, the Lung Health Foundation’s Senior Manager of Public Affairs. “Our leadership across multiple lung conditions and our holistic approach to lung health make us uniquely positioned to bring the right people together and find innovative and efficient solutions to emerging respiratory health issues. As a registered patient organization, “the right people” will always include people with lived experience. Breathe Change is a platform that allows them to advocate for change.”
Save the dates!
Now, the Lung Health Foundation is proud to announce the topics and innovations you’ll explore during this year’s Breathe Change Policy Series:
1. Bringing Hope and Care Closer to Home: Improving Accessibility for Lung Cancer Treatments
October 30, 2025 | 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET
Should a person’s postal code affect their lung cancer outcomes? Or could breakthroughs translate into equitable access and improved outcomes for all patients, no matter where they live?
For too many Canadians, access to life-saving lung cancer treatment is shaped by geography and systemic barriers rather than medical need. Yet advancements in clinical trials and subcutaneous therapies offer a chance to transform care — making treatments faster, more convenient, and closer to home.
The Lung Health Foundation is proud to launch Lung Cancer Awareness Month by bringing experts and decision-makers together to identify barriers, explore innovative models of care, and build consensus for policy and advocacy solutions.
Meet the Speakers
Dr. Silvana Spadafora, Oncologist has served many roles within her hospital and regional medical community. She served as Chief of Staff at Sault Area Hospital between 2017-2023. She served as Medical Director and Chief for the Algoma District Cancer Program (ADCP) prior to that. She has been practicing medical oncology in Sault Ste. Marie, her home town, since 1994. She is an Associate Professor for the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. She represents the Northeast region at Ontario Health-Cancer Care Ontario as Regional Quality Lead for Systemic therapy. She works to ensure the best care for her patients during their difficult journey and for this she has been recognized with various community awards as well as the prestigious Platinum Jubilee Award in Honour of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s 70th year on the throne. She is an advocate for access and equity to evidence informed screening strategies, diagnostic strategies, prevention strategies as well as treatment strategies. She remains committed to ongoing advancement of care for her patients within her community as well as her region. She is privileged to work with many colleagues across the province that she respects and admires.
2. Moving from Race Correction to Race Neutral Respiratory Care
December 4, 2025 | 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET
Should a person’s race affect their lung condition diagnosis?
For decades, race correction in pulmonary diagnostics—adjusting lung function results based on a patient’s race—has shaped how conditions like asthma and COPD are diagnosed and managed, with significant consequences for patient care and outcomes. Its influence also extends into treatment pathways, including those for lung cancer where accurate assessments are critical. As leading health organizations commit to ending this discredited practice, important questions arise: How has race correction contributed to inequities in care, and what does race neutrality mean in practice?
This forum will bring together clinicians, researchers, and policy voices to explore the origins, impacts, and future directions of equitable, evidence-based respiratory care.
Meet the Speakers
Dr. Sanja Stanojevic is an Associate Professor in the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology at Dalhousie University. Dr. Stanojevic is a respiratory epidemiologist with expertise in methodologies to characterize the normal growth and development of the lungs. Her research applies novel statistical approaches to improve the interpretation of respiratory function tests. She Chairs the ERS Global Lung Function Initiative Network and is Chair of the ATS Pulmonary Function committee.
Meet the Speakers
Dr. Aaron Baugh is a pulmonary and critical care physician at UCSF who focuses on improving the care of asthma and COPD for low-income and racial/ethnic minority individuals. His research program emphasizes understanding how social disparities inform differences in lung function and worse outcomes in lung disease. In his free time, he enjoys kayaking and reading history.
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