Founded in 1911, Lung Association of Saskatchewan (LAS) started as the Saskatchewan Anti-Tuberculosis League. It was renamed to Saskatchewan Lung Association in 1987 when it expanded its work to target all lung diseases and related issues, including asthma, tobacco use, lung cancer, air quality, sleep apnea, and COPD. LAS’s mission is to improve respiratory health and overall quality of life for people with lung disease, and do so through programs, education, research, training and lung disease prevention. In F2016, LAS’s three core programs were health promotion amongst the public, health promotion amongst healthcare professionals, and research & grants.
Public health promotion made up 45% of program costs in F2016 as reported in the charity's most recent annual report. LAS promotes awareness and advocates for lung health in Saskatchewan through programs such as the Lung Helpline, home testing kits for radon, online resources for people with lung disease such as asthma and COPD, lung health programs, and asthma and COPD educators. LAS reached over 10,000 students in F2016 who pledged to protect their lungs through the Lung All Stars program, where Saskatchewan WHL hockey teams work with the charity by visiting schools in the province to talk about lung health. LAS also reached almost 200 kids though its 2016 Little Lungs School Project, which educates students on radon and lung cancer. In terms of advocating for lung health, LAS saw success when it convinced Saskatoon City Council to designate parks, playgrounds and sports fields as smoke-free areas, effective January 1, 2016.
Health promotion amongst healthcare professionals made up 25% of program costs in F2016. With its RESPTREC (Respiratory Training and Educator Course) program, LAS educates healthcare professionals (abbreviated to HCP; includes nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, health educators, and doctors) on how to better educate their patients/clients with asthma and COPD, with the goal of improving the quality of care patients receive. The charity offers online learning options, hands-on workshops, and skills-based spirometry courses. LAS trained 100 new respiratory educators across the province in F2016. In Regina Qu’appelle Health Region, LAS trained 23 HCPs, and partnered with regional respirologists to train 81 family practice physicians and nurse practitioners in spirometry interpretation who completed 686 spirometry tests in the community. Besides its RESPTREC program, LAS reached an additional 250 HCPs in respiratory education through its State of the Art Conference, Saskatchewan Thoracic Society Professional Training day, and the Certified Respiratory Educator Network and Learn event.
Research & grants made up 20% of program costs in F2016. LAS funds research through professorship programs, fellowships, research grants, and other research programs. In F2016, LAS reported a $50k grant to the University of Saskatchewan Respiratory Research Centre. The centre is only two years old and aims to develop and evaluate innovative approaches to health care design and delivery, and ensure rapid application of research findings to benefit patients.
Lung Association of Saskatchewan is a medium-sized charity with total donations and special events fundraising of $1.7m in F2015. Administrative costs are 9% of revenues and fundraising costs are 20% of donations and special events. Per dollar donated to the charity, $0.71 goes toward its programs, which falls within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.
LAS’s funding reserves of $706k can cover 36% of annual program costs, indicating a funding need.
This charity report is an update that is currently being reviewed by Lung Association of Saskatchewan. Comments and edits may be forthcoming.
Note: Ci reported raffle revenues net of direct expenses in business activities, decreasing total revenues and expenses by $307k in F2015, $329k in F2014 and $325k in F2013. Ci did not report gain on disposal of tangible capital assets, decreasing revenues by $9k in F2015. Ci reported F2015 and F2014 contracts and other services costs in program costs. Ci backed out amortization on a pro-rata basis from program, administrative and fundraising costs.