Breath Matters Monthly e-Newsletter

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Current Issue:

Breath Matters
The American Lung Association of California's Monthly e-Newsletter
April 28, 2006 Number 135
http://www.californialung.org

Content:

How’s Your Air?
State of the Air 2006 Report: 28 California Counties Fail
Breathe Easy Circulation More Than Doubles
Working for Clean Air in Imperial County
Freedom From Smoking Facilitator Training Set for May
Central California Volunteer Coordinates Asthma TV Campaign
Conference Focuses on a New Era in TB
A Tribute in Memory of George R. Williams
Correction: People With Asthma Needed for Research Study
Researcher Studies Upper Airways in Children
Are You Part of an Asthma Walk Team?
Tell a Friend

MONTHLY HEALTH TIP

How’s Your Air? Enter your zip code at www.californialung.org where you see those words and find out how your county’s air rated in the American Lung Association’s State of the Air 2006 Report.

AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION RELEASES STATE OF THE AIR 2006 REPORT

California cities and counties continue to dominate the list of places with the highest number of days with high air pollution in the American Lung Association State of the Air 2006 report released April 27, which generated significant nationwide and statewide news coverage.

The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside metropolitan area continues to sit atop the list of most polluted cities for 24-hour and annual particle pollution levels, while Bakersfield is now ranked as the most ozone-polluted city in the nation. As for counties nationwide, Kern County moved to the top of the list of most polluted counties for ozone and Riverside County had the worst particle pollution as measured on a 24-hour and annual basis.

Twenty-eight of California’s 52 counties with air quality monitoring stations received failing grades. California counties receiving F grades on one or more of the three pollutant lists (in alphabetical order) are: Alameda, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Tulare, Tuolumne and Ventura.

The American Lung Association has been working to protect the air you breathe in California by supporting important policies aimed at curbing motor vehicle emissions and diesel exhaust. The association successfully advocated for landmark measures to reduce emissions at California ports and rail yards.

For the related news release or to view the report online, visit http://www.californialung.org/press/060427SOTA.htm

BREATHE EASY CIRCULATION MORE THAN DOUBLES

The American Lung Association of California’s Breathe Easy Spring/Summer 2006 news magazine more than doubled its circulation, from 28,000 last edition to more than 78,000.

This month’s issue features a cover story on the tobacco tax initiative that explains why the tax is so desperately needed. It also includes a story on the American Lung Association’s reorganization, which assures our supporters that the same programs and services they’ve come to expect continue to be available to them. The public policy update provides legislative highlights and other stories focus on genetic research into asthma, the American Lung Association’s HelpLine and asthma camp.

The news magazine can be viewed online at http://www.californialung.org/ALAC/breatheasy.html

For more information, contact Andy Weisser at 818.703.6444 or aweisser@earthlink.net

WORKING FOR CLEAN AIR IN IMPERIAL COUNTY

The American Lung Association of California and its San Diego and Imperial Counties affiliate support bans on agricultural burning. In February the Calexico City Council voted to abolish agricultural burning in the Imperial Valley city. Less burning in Calexico also means better air quality for Mexicali, since the two cities are contiguous.

The American Lung Association’s Vivian Perez spoke in favor of the resolution, citing a Brazilian study on the effects of agricultural burning in the late 1990s that showed measurable increases in hospital admissions for respiratory disease during periods of burning. Perez also noted frequent violations of existing burn rules in Calexico. Despite pressure from farming interests, council members stood firm in favor of protecting public health.

For more information, contact Jan Cortez at 619.297.3901 or jan@lungsandiego.org, or visit http://www.lungsandiego.org/environment/index.asp

FREEDOM FROM SMOKING FACILITATOR TRAINING SET FOR MAY

The next Freedom From Smoking facilitator training is scheduled for Tuesday May 23, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday, May 24, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The training will be held at the Hanford Library, 401 North Douty Street in Hanford.

The cost is $350 and includes continental breakfast, lunch, snacks, drinks and all instructional materials needed. You will learn the skills necessary to teach the nationally recognized and highly successful 16-hour quit-smoking program.

The training is open to health care professionals with experience in health education, group facilitation, substance abuse or public health outreach programs. A basic knowledge of health practices and group process is needed.

Registration forms must be completed and check payment received by May 15. Please make checks payable to: American Lung Association of California, Superior Branch, Attn: FFS Facilitator Training, 10 Landing Circle, Suite 1, Chico, CA. 95973

For more information or to register, contact Lynn Devine at ldevine@alac.org or Elaine Lucero at elaine@alacsb.org or 530.897.4140.

CENTRAL CALIFORNIA VOLUNTEER COORDINATES ASTHMA TV CAMPAIGN

The American Lung Association of Central California recently launched a yearlong asthma awareness campaign with 30-second spots on Channel 30, the local ABC affiliate, thanks to the efforts of board members Julie Tymn and Malik Baz, MD. Julie, who has a personal interest in raising awareness because she lost her mother to asthma and everyone in her immediate family has the disease, spearheaded the project.

The campaign, valued at $25,000, encourages viewers to learn more about asthma and take an asthma test.

For more information, contact Sandra Eaton at 559.222.4800 or sandra@amerilungcencal.org.

CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON A NEW ERA IN TB

The California Tuberculosis Controllers Association is holding its annual conference May 11-12 at the Doubletree Hotel in Anaheim. Designed for people working in TB control, the conference, “A New Era in TB: Can We Replace the TST?,” will include sessions on the development of the new QuantiFERON-TB Gold guidelines and an historical perspective on TB diagnostics, as well as breakout sessions on TB in the foreign-born, applications of genotyping in TB control, issues in TB-HIV co-infection, and developments in in vitro diagnostic methods.

For more information, visit http://www.ctca.org/conferences/index.html or contact Judith Thigpen at 510.620.3053 or jthigpen@dhs.ca.gov.

A TRIBUTE IN MEMORY OF GEORGE R. WILLIAMS

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of George R. Williams (1926 – 2006) on April 5 following a lengthy illness. He served as executive director of the American Lung Association of California from 1968 to 1990.

George fought against lung disease his entire career. His first position following college was as field assistant with the Pennsylvania TB and Health Society in Philadelphia. After working 11 years in a variety of positions in Pennsylvania, he was hired in 1961 as chief of the Respiratory Disease Program with the National Tuberculosis Association in New York City.

While working at the national office, George initiated the association’s involvement in promoting clean air and environmental issues. On January 2, 1968, George was hired as the executive director of the Tuberculosis and Respiratory Disease Association of California, a statewide federation of 35 local Christmas Seal Associations.

In California, he quickly established himself as a strong public health advocate and statewide leader who was well known by corporate and governmental leaders throughout the state. He was especially revered by his staff as well as the affiliate directors whom he mentored.

Over the years, he consolidated the number of associations, empowering them to provide nationally recognized programs and fund raising events. Under his leadership, many California volunteers and staff became well known experts throughout the country.

George was active on the national level as well, helping to promote national issues and serve as a leader among the other state executive directors.

For more information, contact Sandra Kessler, American Lung Association of California interim CEO, at srk7171@comcast.net or 510.638.5864 or 904.635.9240.

CORRECTION: PEOPLE WITH ASTHMA NEEDED FOR RESEARCH STUDY

The telephone number provided in the last issue of Breath Matters for people interested in participating in a study being conducted with people who have asthma by the American Lung Association’s Asthma Clinical Research Center was only available to a certain region. The best number to call for anyone interested is 619.294.6251.

RESEARCHER STUDIES UPPER AIRWAYS IN CHILDREN

Michael Oldham, Ph.D., is quantifying the effect that growth and development of the upper airways has on the disposition of particulate matter in the airways and lungs of children and adolescents. As childhood asthma rates rise and evidence mounts that children’s lung function is reduced by exposure to air pollution, the UC Irvine researcher is hoping to better understand this process.

He was one of 17 researchers who received funding last year through the American Lung Association’s research program, which granted nearly $1 million to lung disease research in fiscal year 2005-2006. For information about funded projects, visit http://californialung.org/research/research.html

ARE YOU PART OF AN ASTHMA WALK TEAM? Spring Asthma Walks are right around the corner. Be part of a team and join an asthma walk near you. Visit http://www.californialung.org/press/030925asthma.html

TELL A FRIEND Forward this e-newsletter to friends, family and business contacts. Encourage them to subscribe for free at http://www.californialung.org. Signing up is easy. Just enter your e-mail address at the upper left corner of the Web site homepage below the logo.

YOU CAN DONATE ANYTIME AThttp://californialung.org/donate/donate.html

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E-News Archive

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