Obituary: Isabel Saraiva

We are sorry to share the news that Dr. Isabel Saraiva, past President of the European Lung Foundation (ELF), has died. Not only did she work with our Portuguese team, GRESP, we were lucky that Isabel joined the steering group for our COPD Magazine as a patient representative and her input was invaluable in the development of the magazine’s first edition, where she supported our team to ensure that the tool remained relevant and accessible to the lived experiences of people with COPD. In particular, her starting remark when reviewing the first set of videos shortlisted for inclusion - “Why do all of the people with COPD look sad? Why can’t we show them looking happy - or at least neutral?” - has been fondly remembered at every stage of the production process. Here is a short clip of her encouraging all healthcare professionals to be trained in smoking cessation.

We would like to thank Isabel for her friendship and guidance, and send our condolences to her family, friends and colleagues. Her funeral was held in Cascais, Portugal on 10 January 2024.