Lung Foundation of Australia and Team VIVA! are gearing up for this year’s Pneumonia Awareness Week kicking off on Monday, May 6.

This year’s theme is ‘Love Your Lungs’ and the campaign is designed to educate the general public about the seriousness of pneumonia and to encourage those in high-risk groups to talk to their doctor about ways to help protect against infection, including vaccination.

High-risk groups include those aged 65 or over, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as well as those living with an underlying chronic illness such as diabetes, lung, heart and kidney diseases and impaired immunity.

Pneumonia is the result of air sacs in the lungs filling with fluids and obstructing normal air flow and is associated with symptoms such as fever, couch and difficulty breathing. Contracting the disease can lead to hospital admission especially for young children and the elderly.

Australians at-risk of pneumonia should talk to their doctor about ways to help protect against infection, including vaccination.

To learn more about the Love your Lungs campaign visit www.lungfoundation.com.au or follow the conversation on Facebook / Twitter and follow #loveyourlungs

Also, watch this space for exciting developments and news stories during Pneumonia Awareness Week!