COPD affects millions globally and is a leading cause of death. The disease makes breathing difficult and is primarily caused by smoking and air pollu

A smoker since her teenage years, it took the diagnosis of COPD in 2005 to finally force her to quit. “Giving up cigarettes was the best day’s work I ever did. In fact, I was so sick at the time, I had to stop, and I notice how my health has improved since then.”

The prevalence of COPD is especially high in low-resource settings, where exposure to risk factors like tobacco smoke and pollution often goes unchecked.