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Current Issue:

Breath Matters
The American Lung Association of California's Monthly e-Newsletter
July 3, 2007 Number 149
http://www.californialung.org

Content:

Outstanding New Leaders Take the Helm in California
Learn More About Asthma on KQED Radio
Association Awarded for Global Warming and Air Quality Efforts
Poll Shows Voters Support Secondhand Smoke Protections
Beverly Hills Bans Smoking at Outdoor Cafes
Staffer Leads Charge for Cleaner Diesel School Buses
Researcher Hopes to Find Better Treatments for Lung Injury
Asthma Walk Kickoff Events Involve Teams
Donations Honor Special People Like Brandon
Tell a Friend

OUTSTANDING NEW LEADERS TAKE THE HELM IN CALIFORNIA

The American Lung Association of California’s Board of Directors recently elected Gwendolyn W. Young, president of Los Angeles-based Young Communications Group, as its board chair. She is the first African American to hold that position. In addition, Jim Wilgus has been selected as the organization’s president and CEO, and Michael Peterson, MD, has been selected as the president of the California Thoracic Society, the association’s medical section.

Young, having served as a volunteer with the American Lung Association of California for nine years, opened the doors of her marketing communications and public relations agency in 1991. She is an award-winning professional with more than 25 years of experience in strategic communications, issues management and media relations.
Wilgus is the former executive vice president for the American Heart Association’s Pacific/Mountain Affiliate. He brings 20 years of non-profit leadership, fundraising and management experience with the American Heart Association, has worked on anti-tobacco legislation in several states and has a degree in public and corporate communications from Butler University in Indianapolis.

Dr. Peterson is a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, Fresno Department of Medicine. To read the news release, visit: http://californialung.org/press/070703ALACBoardChair.html. For more information, contact Laura Keegan Boudreau, 510.638.5864 or lkboudreau@alac.org.

MONTHLY HEALTH TIP: Learn More About Asthma on KQED Radio

KQED radio's The California Report: Health Dialogues: Allergies and Asthma looks at the estimated 50 million Americans who suffer from allergies and 20 million others who have asthma. Why have allergy and asthma rates, especially in children, risen so dramatically in recent years? Panelists include Hal Farber, MD, pediatric pulmonologist at Kaiser Vallejo, Bonnie Holmes-Gen, American Lung Association of California, and David Nunez, California Asthma Public Health Initiative. To listen to the program online, visit http://www.kqed.org/programs/radio/tcr/healthdialogues/ and scroll down to find the Allergies and Asthma program listing.
For more information, contact Andy Weisser at 818.703.6444 or aweisser@alac.org.

ASSOCIATION AWARDED FOR GLOBAL WARMING AND AIR QUALITY EFFORTS

The American Lung Association of California was recognized by the Environment Now Foundation for its role in urging policymakers to adopt landmark global warming legislation that sets a cap on greenhouse gas emissions. The association received an award for its efforts at a June 22 luncheon to recognize the 43 environmental nonprofit organizations highlighted in the foundation’s Top Achievements of the Environmental Community in Southern California 2006 report.

The association was also listed in the report for its efforts to improve air quality by advocating for the Clean Air Action Plan, which was adopted by the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in November 2006.

To view the report, visit http://www.environmentnow.org/pdf/EN-achievements-report-2006-final.pdf
For more information, contact Colleen Callahan at 213.384.5864 or ccallahan@alac.org.

POLL SHOWS VOTERS SUPPORT SECONDHAND SMOKE PROTECTIONS

One year after the Calabasas City Council unanimously passed the most comprehensive secondhand smoke control ordinance in the nation, voters strongly support the ordinance, according to a scientific survey commissioned by the American Lung Association of California’s Center for Tobacco Policy and Organizing.

Support for most specific provisions of the law was between 73 to 79 percent, including declaring secondhand smoke a nuisance (79%), banning smoking in outdoor areas of restaurants and bars (74%), banning smoking outdoors in the city-except on private property (75%), banning smoking in outdoor common areas in apartments (79%).
The survey also showed widespread support for additional smoking restrictions in apartment buildings in Calabasas. By a 67 to 25 percent margin, voters in Calabasas favor a law to require smoke-free sections in each apartment building in Calabasas.

The poll bodes well for Belmont, where the city council unanimously voted to pursue a law that will prohibit smoking anywhere in the city except for single-family detached residences. The actual language of the law still needs to be drafted and will likely come back to the council either in December or early next year.

To view the association’s release about the survey, visit http://www.californialung.org/press/070621CalabasasSecondHandSmoke.html To read news coverage, go to the following links http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_6190429 and http://www.theacorn.com/news/2007/0621/Community/017.html.

For more information, contact Kimberly Weich Reusche at 916.442.4299 or kwreusche@alac.org.

BEVERLY HILLS BANS SMOKING AT OUTDOOR CAFÉS

Diners will be able to enjoy smoke-free air when they sit outside at their favorite Beverly Hills’ restaurant or café starting October 1. The Beverly Hills City Council unanimously approved an ordinance banning smoking in all outdoor eating areas.

Longtime tobacco control advocate Jack Nicholl, an American Lung Association of California consultant, was quoted in a June 21 article in the Los Angeles Times about the new ordinance. Beverly Hills, he said, "is viewed as a kind of bellwether around the world…. You have all the big-name restaurants operating there. The fact that they could allow, and even encourage the city to adopt this ordinance, is great."

For more information, contact Paul Knepprath at 916.442.4446 or pknepprath@alac.org.

STAFFER LEADS CHARGE FOR CLEANER DIESEL SCHOOL BUSES

The American Lung Association of California is working to ensure the most effective use for the $200 million allocated for cleaner school buses from the $19.9 billion Highway Safety, Traffic Reduction, Air Quality, and Port Security Bond Act approved by voters last November. The association’s Bonnie Holmes-Gen led the charge to get the allocation for school buses into the bond when it was being developed for the ballot.

These funds are crucial for reducing diesel emissions and protecting the kids who ride the buses and all of us who breathe the air. The association is urging the passage of a trailer bill that would make replacing the remaining pre-1977 buses, which are highly polluting and do not have basic safety precautions, a priority.

For more information, contact Bonnie at 916.442.4446 or bhgen@alac.org.

RESEARCHER HOPES TO FIND BETTER TREATMENTS FOR LUNG INJURY

The lung is a difficult organ to repair. Inflammation and scaring interfere with lung healing. That’s why Joseph Lin, MD, is hoping his study will lead to better therapies for lung injury.

The Stanford University researcher is examining the underlying mechanisms of normal lung repair to determine how stem cells in the lung’s air sacs work. His project is one of 12 funded by the American Lung Association of California, which granted nearly $700,000 to lung disease research in fiscal year 2006-2007.

For more information about funded projects, visit http://californialung.org/research/research.html.

ASTHMA WALK KICKOFF EVENTS INVOLVE TEAMS

Asthma is a serious lung disease that affects nearly 5 million Californians. You can help fight the asthma epidemic by creating or joining an Asthma Walk team near you. Kickoff events are scheduled in communities around the state to help raise awareness about asthma and the upcoming walks.

To learn more about an Asthma Walk kickoff event near you, contact us at 800.LUNG.USA.

‘JOE 2 COOL TO SMOKE’ SNOOPY FEATURED AT SANTA ROSA OFFICE

Thanks to support from an American Lung Association volunteer from West Virginia, the American Lung Association of California in Santa Rosa has a “Joe 2 Cool to Smoke” Snoopy in front of its office. The statue is part of a citywide project honoring Peanuts comic strip creator Charles Schulz, who lived in Santa Rosa.

Each year the city issues statues based on the comic strip that people can sponsor, paint and keep in front of their homes and businesses. They are a major tourist attraction as visitors hunt for them all over town and snap photos with them.

“Joe 2 Cool to Smoke” Snoopy is holding a sign that reads: “Peanuts and people for clean air everywhere.” It was sponsored by William Mercer, MD, who is a Snoopy collector. He heard about the project and decided to get involved.

For more information, contact Jenny Bard at 707.527.5864 or jbard@alac.org.

DONATIONS HONOR SPECIAL PEOPLE LIKE BRANDON

If you want to feel inspired, consider the following letter from a Sacramento sixth-grader: “To Whom It May Concern: My school, Saint John Evangelist, has given me $25 to donate to any organization I would like. I picked your organization because I think you do a lot of good things for people with Lung Diseases. I also like that you have a great program to help people stop smoking. My grandmother has COPD and my grandfather died of lung cancer before I was born, so I am hoping that you get many donations to help find ways to prevent lung disease and to improve people’s lives. I am matching the donation from my school to help your organization. Good luck with all you do. Sincerely, Brandon Lopez.”

You can honor someone special in your life with a donation to the American Lung Association. It’s meaningful and easy. Visit http://californialung.org/donate/donate.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.

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tel: (510) 638-LUNG, fax: (510) 638-8984, e-mail: info@californialung.org.