The Lung Health 4 Life (LH4L) consortium held its second annual meeting during the ERS Congress 2025 in Amsterdam. LH4L is an EU4Health project with a school programme that pairs simple lung function checks with age-appropriate lessons on breathing, air quality and prevention to spot problems early, build health literacy and ensure timely care from childhood.
The meeting brought together consortium partners, members of the External Advisory Board, Community of Practice (CoP) participants and representatives of the European Commission to review progress and agree on the implementation plan. Coordinated by EFA, the CoP serves as the hub that connects teachers, patient organisations, clinicians, researchers and public authorities to share evidence, align on best practices, support schools and co-create tools that fit real classrooms across countries.
CoP representatives at the #LH4L AGM 2025
Why schools are the right place for lung health
Children spend a large part of their day in education. By working in schools, LH4L reaches children where learning happens and turns prevention into routine. Lung function testing can flag concerns before the first symptoms. Health education also helps children understand their lungs and the factors that affect breathing, including air quality and physical activity.
The classroom package combines practical checks with clear, age-appropriate content. Over the past months, the CoP shared existing educational materials for adaptation and reviewed the intervention protocol and its annexes through three formal consultations. This work ensured that content is accurate, usable and culturally relevant in different national contexts.
Implementation moves to three European countries
The implementation will start in Hungary, Poland and Portugal. The Polish action is led by EFA member, Polish Federation of Allergy, Asthma and COPD Patients. Schools will introduce lung function testing and health education side by side and evaluate effectiveness using clear measures. These include improved knowledge, earlier identification of issues and smoother links to care when needed. The CoP will support delivery across sites by sharing clear guidance on what to do next and keep teachers, clinicians and patient groups working together.
Session on CoP and project sustainability
At the ERS Congress, EFA was invited to present on how the Community of Practice (CoP) drives project sustainability. The CoP regularly comes together to share knowledge, build skills and address challenges. This teamwork creates tools that work in classrooms and keeps results useful and easy to update after funding ends. It serves as a model for other EU projects.
What happens next
The CoP will identify and map best practices in lung health promotion and disease prevention for young people. Findings will inform methods that can be replicated and scaled across Europe. EFA will continue to lead the CoP and ensure that the patient perspective guides decisions from design to classroom use.
EFA thanks the Community of Practice participants, consortium partners and External Advisory Board members for their contributions in shaping a practical and sustainable programme for children’s lung health across Europe.