November 23, 2005
Breathing Better Together
Last week was “World COPD Day” in which healthcare workers, educators and members of the public organized events in more than 50 countries. This COPD awareness day began in 2002 and has helped raise awareness about the disease. With our Breathing Better Together campaign we hope we are making some strides here in America.
I’m thrilled to learn that more than 4,500 people have downloaded the COPD booklets from our Hungry For Air: Breathing Better Together campaign. Please keep checking back with us as there are two more issues to come.
If you have COPD, I want to remind you to please get a flu shot this season. We are told through a CDC briefing last week that there is supply, but there are some distribution delays. Please keep checking back with us through our flu clinic locator, your local public health department or doctor to find one. Even in December and January it isn’t too late to get a shot.
Please share with us your comments on your experience with COPD.
I wish you all a wonderful and healthful Thanksgiving holiday!
Posted by lungblogposter at 07:20 AM | Comments (15)
November 16, 2005
Living with COPD
Did you know that Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) are the fourth leading cause of death in the United States and smoking is the primary risk factor for COPD? This week we have a second edition of our Hungry For Air: Breathing Better Together booklet as part of an educational partnership with ALTANA Pharma US. The two free booklets are now available for anyone and tell stories of hope and encouragement for those living with COPD.
One COPD patient, Sharon O'Hara says, "Go beyond your shortness of breath. Take what we have and turn it into something positive, an opportunity. Exercise, have goals, and remember we don't 'suffer' from anything. We are not victims."
Some people have commented that COPD doesn’t get the coverage it should in the media. We agree, but we have had some success. A recent article about COPD appeared in the November 13 issue of Parade magazine...which reaches 36 million in circulation in 350 Sunday newspapers. I also participated in a radio media tour earlier this month where, over a three-hour period, I talked to 17 radio hosts in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Houston and Cleveland (to name a few).
Unfortunately, the media can’t be our only way to raise awareness about COPD. Is there anything you have done to spread the word about this disease? If so, tell us.
Posted by lungblogposter at 10:09 AM | Comments (3)
November 07, 2005
"Katrina" Cough and Flu
Two items in the news this week that I thought I’d comment on. The first is about “Katrina Cough.” Soon after Katrina hit, we predicted that we might see an increase in respiratory illnesses and we have been particularly concerned about people with asthma or COPD. It seems more widespread than I thought showing how many people have allergic reactions to mold if exposed to high enough levels. My great concern in seeing this is that our prediction about the increase in asthma attacks might well be true as well, but we have not seen the data perhaps because emergency rooms are not really functioning optimally yet. Based upon this report, I believe that there is an urgent need to assess whether many people are experiencing increased asthma severity and whether they are being cared for adequately.
The second story is about Maxim Health closing its public flu clinics for lack of flu vaccine supply. This is yet another indication that CDC should rethink its entire strategy behind yearly flu recommendations and focus on the major transmitters: school-age kids as being as important as or more important to get to first than the elderly. Some high risk group members [e.g. elderly] are far from fully protected by the vaccine.
I urge you to get your flu shot as soon as possible, especially if you have asthma, lung cancer or COPD. Tell us how you found your flu vaccine this year.
Posted by lungblogposter at 08:43 AM | Comments (12)
November 02, 2005
Welcome!
Welcome to the first installment of my blog. I am Dr. Norman Edelman, the Chief Medical Officer of the American Lung Association, and I hope to use this space to write to the visitors of lungusa.org about important news items in the world of lung disease and lung health.
I want to talk to you about Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease also called COPD (also known as Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema). Have you ever had the feeling that you are so hungry and you just can’t eat fast enough? Well, the patients I see with COPD often tell me they are “hungry for air.” That is a pretty powerful visual and we want people with COPD to know they aren’t alone. For the third year we are launching the “Hungry For Air: Breathing Better Together” awareness campaign. Each week this month we will feature a different story of someone who is living with COPD or someone who is caring for a loved one with COPD. We are grateful to Altana Pharma US who has helped us with an educational grant to raise awareness about COPD.
I want you to get to know these people and see how they are living with this disease. If you think you have COPD, I want you to call your doctor and ask for a lung function test.
Do you have a story about someone you love who has COPD? Would you like to share your experience and possibly help others understand this disease? Please let us hear from you.
Best of health!
Posted by lungblogposter at 12:41 PM | Comments (36)
