VIDEOS FOR "myCOPD-CHALLENGE 2019"

Eberhard Jordan: The idea for the COPD Challenge actually came up 2 years ago. I myself had COPD 4 at the time, and I felt that COPD was simply not being talked about in Austria. And since I was already writing a blog on the topic of COPD back then, I was a bit fed up, and I issued a press release to draw attention to World COPD Day, and I ended up in the "Mittagsjournal". The reactions were relatively abundant considering it was really a very short-notice campaign. Then Jupp Brandl crossed my path via the Internet. This is a gentleman who climbed Cologne Cathedral with oxygen. And then I thought: Wait, that's an exciting campaign, it can be expanded, and you can really create awareness for the disease with it, that you can indeed still do something with COPD and above all, you can convey that an important building block in therapy is simply exercise. What's new about the COPD Challenge is that it will take place throughout Austria. We already have a definite partner in Innsbruck, who will go up the Bergisel together with a doctor and a therapist.

Monika: I'm Monika, I come from Tyrol and I'm actually a happy pensioner. About a year ago I received the diagnosis of COPD, then I got on my own two feet, I joined a gym. Since I have been dealing with this disease and practically doing this sports program on my own initiative, I'm actually doing very - considering the circumstances, you always have to say that - very well. I would like to participate in the Challenge because of that, also as a confirmation for myself, and also to encourage other people who suffer from this disease, to not give up, but to always motivate themselves again and undertake something somewhere.

Eberhard Jordan: My personal part is the Donauturm, which has a few more steps than St. Stephen's Cathedral, namely twice as many, a bit more than twice as many. Yes, and I want to climb that together with my team, that is, with Mr. Petrovic as the accompanying doctor and Martin Gütlbauer as the therapist.

Dr. Milos Petrovic: I believe that this challenge, just like the challenge the year before, can show that very severe COPD patients can achieve a very good performance if they are well looked after, if they take their medication regularly, and that gives courage to severely ill patients, that this is also possible. And this year's challenge, the Donauturm, is something that is a big challenge in terms of performance, but I know Mr. Jordan and he will surely manage it. My task is to monitor the health condition, to observe, and possibly adjust the medication so that this challenge is successful.

Eberhard Jordan: The view up here is great, it's beautiful, yes. When you stand down in the stairwell and see this rather industrial, dark staircase structure going up, where there's no end in sight yet, then you briefly think "What have I gotten myself into?". I will train very consistently and yes, I think the goal is achievable, but it's exciting.

Martin Gütlbauer: One thing is really to train to be able to manage the distance in principle or in this case, the number of steps, and just practice that, simply by doing it. And the other, I'd say, is to consider the breathing technique, how do I climb the stairs, where do I exhale, where do I inhale, so that it becomes a good rhythm. Because the biggest problem with climbing stairs is, for most people I met in rehab, simply, they do it too fast and without any rhythm, and that's why they're exhausted after one or two floors, if their basic endurance is good. If it's not, then everyone's exhausted, no matter who does it. What I would advise other teams, is first of all not to do it alone, find a trusted therapist with whom you can discuss the whole thing. See what your basic situation is, what stage of COPD you have, how you generally feel, and also discuss the whole thing with the therapist or doctor, and to have, let's say, a supportive team around you.

Eberhard Jordan: So I want to invite COPD patients throughout Austria to find their own challenge. No matter if it's the church tower or the 3rd floor in the building, it's not about choosing the highest, but it's about showing: okay, I can still achieve something with COPD. And that in a team that accompanies me. And all those who are interested, please feel free to contact us directly via the platform www.mycopd-challenge.com, or by email, phone. I look forward to hearing from you.

Dr. Milos Petrovic: COPD, that is a chronic disease. The English term is: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a non-reversible obstruction after administration of inhalation sprays, - narrowing of the airways, which is accompanied by an abnormal inflammation of the airways. The leading symptoms of COPD are shortness of breath, cough, sputum. So these are the three main symptoms that lead to thinking about COPD for the first time. The most common cause of COPD is unfortunately smoking. Fortunately, from November, we will have an absolute smoking ban, but that is the main reason for this chronic disease, because smoking and the inhalation of harmful substances lead to inflammation of the airways and the small air sacs. COPD is a chronic disease, it's a disease that unfortunately cannot be cured, but if you work together and do everything right in terms of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapy, miracles are possible. This means: even a severely ill patient who is on oxygen can perform. And that should actually be an incentive for all colleagues not to give up on patients, and patients themselves should not give up. There is always hope and you just have to believe in it and train hard for it.

Eberhard Jordan: Among the pharmacological therapies, there are on the one hand metered-dose inhalers and on the other hand dry powder inhalers. These are medications that will accompany COPD patients throughout their lives. What I am holding in my hands here is a so-called spacer. This is not a particularly pretty device and not a particularly handy device either, but it is a device with which you can slow down the inhalation - meaning what comes out of the sprays has a very high speed, but it is slowed down by the spacer, and you can inhale better and more consciously. A pillar that I personally find very particularly important, and which is now also medically proven, is that exercise and sport can contribute significantly to recovery or stabilization of COPD.

Dr. Milos Petrovic: Studies have shown that with increasing degree of COPD, patients are less active, and that is clear, because this shortness of breath that occurs with exertion is an hindering factor, and patients don't want to experience that and therefore move less. And this inactivity spiral that is set in motion by this, causes patients to become less and less active and thus less capable. Every COPD patient must, even if it's difficult at first, stay active, move and do more and more sports.

Eberhard Jordan: Another pillar, in my opinion, is the social environment - meaning you don't withdraw, but you try to go out more and clearly acknowledge the disease. And of course, psychological support in situations or for topics that you don't want to discuss with friends or family. For me personally, another area that I consider very important is nutrition. Because with COPD patients, the problem is always: either overweight or underweight, rarely is it the ideal weight.

Prim. Dr. Arschang Valipour: The primary purpose of placing valves is to reduce lung hyperinflation in affected patients. The indication is lung emphysema, meaning: patients who have developed lung emphysema due to the destruction of the air sacs, have areas in their lungs that are quite hyperinflated, meaning: air goes in there when breathing, but it doesn't function very well. These are areas in the lung that no longer participate in normal breathing. The air has great difficulty getting out there. This leads to an increasing overinflation of these affected lung sections. The goal with the valves now is to selectively place one-way valves in the lung sections that block the air supply - to these hyperinflated lung areas. However, the air can escape via the one-way valve mechanism, and thereby this hyperinflated lung section shrinks. This leads to the generally healthier lung sections being able to unfold better again, and the diseased part of the lung becomes smaller. The affected patient, male or female, can breathe better as a result, can better resume daily activities, has less shortness of breath during exertion and thus, of course, improved quality of life.

Eberhard Jordan: I personally had valves placed and benefit greatly from them.

Eberhard Jordan: When I arrived this morning, I actually thought to myself, "Now I'd really like to have breakfast first." But there wasn't enough time. Otherwise, I was actually glad it didn't rain.

Hermann Krammer: The Donauturm, as Austria's tallest building, is of course a perfect place to draw attention to the illness with this campaign. We are very proud that Mr. Jordan was able to create such a stir with this health campaign, both nationwide in Austria and worldwide.

Johannes Aiginger: For Chiesi, it's important that we support such campaigns because we know that therapeutic, meaning exercise therapy and medicinal therapy, must go hand in hand. For the company and the Chiesi family, research into medicinal therapies has always been a priority. But we know that patients' motivation simply has an enormous influence on the effectiveness of therapy. In that regard, we are very happy that we were able to support him again this year.

Sophie Meingassner: We were already involved last year, and we see a great future here for the coming years as well. It's important to show that one's own decision and one's own taking responsibility for health has such a great impact; whether that's simply through physical training, or by quitting smoking or becoming smoke-free and staying smoke-free, because that is so fundamentally relevant for the prevention and non-worsening of COPD.

Andreas Budz: For us, Mr. Jordan is truly a wonderful example that we can also use as a role model or an incentive for all the other patients we care for. It's not about having to climb the Donauturm, but it's really about the individual patient, who is often socially isolated and withdrawn due to their illness, gaining a little courage. And Mr. Jordan is actually the best example we could find for us in that regard.

Dr. Milos Petrovic: In terms of speed, saturation, and heart rate, it went optimally.

Mag. Susanne Ergott-Badawi: The Austrian Chamber of Pharmacists is very happy to support this campaign and congratulates Mr. Jordan on this great initiative. Through our daily consultations in the pharmacy, we also contribute to ensuring that COPD patients are treated correctly and well. We advise on the correct use of inhalers. It is important here that the medicine gets to where it belongs, namely into the lungs.

Eberhard Jordan: We found a very good rhythm, both walking rhythm and breathing rhythm, and at some point, you just meditate your way up the stairs, and then you arrive.

Felix Wallner: This morning, on my way here, I paid attention to whether I would hear anything about World COPD Day on the radio, and I heard nothing. That's why I was then positively surprised that so many TV stations were there, and especially that there was a lot of press here. That really positively surprised me and also encouraged me that if we participate here and support this, then we are a part of it, and then we can also give back a little of the wonderful work Mr. Jordan is doing here.

Eberhard Jordan: I have the feeling the media interest was very good. Otherwise, I have to say, I simply think it was a nice event.

Martin Gütlbauer: It was a different kind of challenge. Just being there caused a certain tension – media and flashlights, etc. I couldn't even hear Eberhard anymore, what his exact breathing rhythm was behind me. That was my challenge today.

Niklas de Mare: We are thrilled that he was successful again this year on the Donauturm. I believe that's double the height compared to St. Stephen's Cathedral last year. We also supported him last time. We support his idea because we believe that the way he promotes the topic to the target group is much more sustainable than all doctor's appointments, for example, and we hope that he sets a new, much higher goal for next year, and we are convinced that he will achieve it.

Dr. Milos Petrovic: To achieve this performance with this lung function, this lung capacity of 28%, is something that should also be an incentive for other patients: that you shouldn't give up, but continue to train and take your medication, then miracles are also possible. And this miracle also happened today with Mr. Eberhard Jordan; he made it.

Eberhard Jordan: So, my personal goals for next year regarding COPD are certainly to become active again. There are still towers in Austria that have more steps, one could consider that. Or one could consider international perspectives; I'll leave that open.