Exploring Bronchiectasis and NTM 360

This article was written by Christina Hunt, BS, RRT.

If you have explored the COPD Foundation website, you may have noticed that in the Foundation’s mission statement that "the organization is committed to preventing COPD, bronchiectasis, and nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease, and to seeking cures while improving lives and advocating for all affected." Because of this, in 2016 the Foundation expanded its bronchiectasis and NTM efforts by establishing the Bronchiectasis and NTM Initiative, which brought an emphasis on disease awareness and community education, in addition to research. As part of the Initiative, the Foundation launched BronchandNTM360social, an online community (similar to COPD360social) for individuals affected by bronchiectasis and/or NTM, including patients, family members, caregivers, physicians and other health care providers. In years that followed, the Initiative developed educational materials and resources and hosted live events in order to educate and engage the community.

As mentioned, BronchandNTM360social, is a community unto itself that provides education, community feedback, and research opportunities to its members focused on bronchiectasis and NTM lung disease. The BronchandNTM360social newsletter provides education and opportunities for involvement. Although the number of community members within BronchandNTM360social is just a fraction of the 50,000+ COPD360social, membership is growing quickly as interest in the bronchiectasis and NTM lung disease space is quickly taking hold.

Over the years, it had become increasingly clear that the Foundation’s commitment to the Bronchiectasis and NTM community could not be defined in a single initiative. Following the lead and the needs of the bronchiectasis and NTM community the Initiative has now evolved into Bronchiectasis and NTM 360. Additional educational resources on diverse topics like airway clearance techniques, testing and diagnostics, and exacerbations have been added to help support this community. All of the educational material provided on Bronchiectasis and NTM 360 is vetted and reviewed by a Content Review and Evaluation Committee which includes various experts in the fields of bronchiectasis and NTM (many volunteering their time) to ensure that the community receives quality up-to-date information on how to manage their diagnosis.

If you are curious about research, the COPD Foundation has established the Bronchiectasis and NTM Research Registry which serves as a platform to collect data on and better understand non-CF Bronchiectasis and NTM lung disease. Individuals who meet the criteria and are interested in enrolling in the Registry must visit a physician who is a member of the Registry Consortium. More information about current studies can be found on the Bronchiectasis and NTM website.

Bronchiectasis and NTM 360 continues to expand offerings to the community. The 360° approach mobilizes partnerships to increase disease awareness, community education and engagement, and focus on research that will ultimately lead to the development of therapeutics for bronchiectasis and NTM. In the coming months, be on the lookout for educational opportunities related to bronchiectasis and NTM. Additionally, on July 1st, 2022, the COPD Foundation along with global partners will be celebrating the first-ever World Bronchiectasis Day.