Tessa Jelen

On retirement and after a diagnosis of emphysema, the support for people in the community with respiratory conditions became Tessa Jelen's main priority, she is involved in research, air pollution and housing.

She recently retired as the Chair of the Westminster Breathe Easy, (an Asthma and Lung UK Lung UK patient led and patient funded support group) since its launch in 2011, running monthly group meetings and zoom sessions, outings and producing quarterly newsletters with support information.

Contributing to research, committees and papers with NICE, Kings Fund, ERS Mono publications and WHO; she also sits on multiple patient group committees, including NIHR, L&Q Housing, PERC, CLAHRC, CLCH and her GP surgeries PPG.

She sits on the advisory panel for European Patient Ambassador Program and ELF COPD PAG and was recently given a “Lifetime Achievement Award” from Westminster Council for her work with Breathe Easy. She is 80 years old.