The unique interdisciplinary Life of Breath project which ran from 2015 – 2020 in the UK has come to an end. Life of Breath was led by Prof Jane Macnaughton at Durham University and Prof Havi Carel at University of Bristol. In their exploration of the theme of Breathlessness, they were supported by teams at both Bristol and Durham universities and expert collaborators.
I’m honoured to have participated with a blog post contribution at the beginning of the project and have shared Life of Breath content over the years on this blog.
The Life of Breath Project left a legacy of practical resources, a video archive, a podcast series, and a vibrant blog as well as academic publications. It is really timeless since breathlessness is potentially, and for many actually, ever present.
Here are the parting words of Prof Jane Macnaughton and Prof Havi Carel:
„2020 was always the planned end date for Life of Breath. No-one could have forseen that just as we are wrapping up our five-year project, we would find ourselves in the midst of unprecedented upheaval. The cry, ‘I can’t breathe’, now echoes doubly around the world. The cry of those breathless from COVID-19, and the angry cries of Black Lives Matter protestors. We are saddened to end Life of Breath at a time when breathlessness is such a critical issue both medically and politically. Life of Breath has strived to enable greater opportunity of expression, freedom from stigma and shame, and new ways to experience music and movement for people with breathlessness. We hope we have brought a degree of liberation to this community, but clearly, much more needs to be done.“