The day is held each year to encourage health services to improve the awareness and care of the disease, including the warning signs and help that is available locally. 

Professors Peter Wark and Michael Hensley were in Moree seeing local Aboriginal people to check for COPD.

For the past three years Moree Community Health Service has invited respiratory specialists to the town to give locals the chance to have a check-up without travelling to places such as Newcastle and Toowoomba.

Prof Wark said in Australia every one in 10 people over the age of 40 have COPD and may not know.

“A lot of the time the symptoms are mistaken for something else such as shortness of breath. 

“People may think the reason for the shortness of breath is because they are unfit, but a lot of the time it could be COPD,” he said.

Prof Wark said those who smoked were at higher risk of developing the disease which, if untreated, could lead to other diseases or cancer, in particular of the lung,

“Moree does have a rehab for COPD and treatments are as easy as using a puffer. The Lung Foundation has launched a quick referral for GPs all over Australia for COPD which hopefully will help the number of cases that go undetected,” Prof Wark said. 

To find out more about COPD and local services call Flo at Community Health on 6757 0200.