The TV3 Marathon 2024

The 33rd edition of La Marató de 3Cat will focus on respiratory diseases, pathologies that increasingly affect the population due to environmental factors, such as pollution, and social factors, such as the increase in life expectancy.

What are respiratory diseases?

These pathologies affect the lungs and respiratory tract, which are responsible for supplying oxygen to the body and eliminating carbon dioxide. They are caused by factors such as pollution, tobacco, infections (bacterial, viral or fungal), immunological or genetic problems. They can occur at any age, being especially common in children and the elderly, and represent one of the main causes of infant mortality worldwide.

350 recognized diseases

There are around 350 respiratory diseases, of which 71 are very common, such as asthma, respiratory allergies, infections and sleep-disordered breathing. Other, less frequent but serious, diseases include pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer and tuberculosis. In Catalonia, more than 200,000 people suffer from serious respiratory diseases that significantly reduce their life expectancy.

Impact in Catalonia

In Catalonia, these diseases affect two million people and are the third cause of death, after cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Last year they caused 10,000 deaths, representing 23% of all deaths. They also have a strong impact on the health system, with 10% of hospital admissions and 25% of paediatric consultations attributed to these pathologies.

Risk factors and prevention

The continued growth of respiratory diseases is related to:

• Environmental pollution and air quality.
• Tobacco, obesity and unhealthy lifestyle habits.
• Changes in immune response and exposure to irritants.

Awareness and healthy habits

The Marathon will seek to raise awareness among citizens, especially young people, about the risks of pollution and the importance of healthy lifestyle habits. Through educational sessions, prevention will be promoted and the relationship between the environment and respiratory health will be highlighted.

Research and innovation thanks to La Marató

Catalonia is a world leader in pulmonology research. Donations to La Marató will allow progress in:

• Early diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation.
• Incorporation of telemedicine and telemonitoring.
• Development of biomarkers and innovative therapies, such as monoclonal antibodies.
• Technological innovation and preventive screening programs.

Thanks to citizen support, La Marató will help to curb the incidence and mortality of these diseases, improving the quality of life of millions of people.

To breathe is to live, and investing in respiratory health is essential for the future of society.