Lung disease is the most common reason for attending GPs in Ireland and is also the third most common reason why people are admitted to hospital.

A new campaign aims to raise awareness of lung disease and show people that with the right treatment and even small lifestyle changes, it can be managed.

The campaign, ‘Love Your Lungs', focuses on three ‘Ls' - learn about your risks, listen for symptoms and let your doctor treat you. It features three videos which show the reality of living with three different lung diseases - asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

One of the patients featured in the video, Dolores Williams, was diagnosed with IPF in April, 2013.

″I walked in to see the doctor thinking, she's going to say go home, there's nothing wrong with you. But she said, I have bad news. It was the last thing I was expecting. But the diagnosis has made me appreciate every day that bit more," Ms Williams said.

Another patient featured in the videos is eight-year-old Max Dunner, who was diagnosed with asthma when he was four.

″His coughing got so bad that he couldn't breathe and he'd have to be rushed to hospital. But now it's being managed well and he is extremely active. He does everything and anything, there's nothing he can't do. We don't see it being the huge issue that it once was, now we have a normal lifestyle back," explained his mother, Orla.

According to consultant respiratory physician and president of the Irish Thoracic Society, Prof Anthony O'Regan, being diagnosed with any type of lung disease can be ‘scary and daunting'.

"But if diagnosed early and managed correctly with the right treatment and lifestyle changes, it is manageable. People should be aware of their risks such as family history and lifestyle factors, listen for symptoms including shortness of breath, and visit their doctor for a diagnosis and treatment," he said.

The campaign is supported by Roche and the videos are available to view on the Facebook and Twitter pages of the Asthma Society here and here, the Irish Lung Fibrosis Association here and here and COPD Ireland here and here.