Breath Matters
The American Lung Association of California’s Monthly e-Newsletter
Improving Life, One Breath at a Time
To automatically connect with your nearest American Lung Association, or to speak with a nurse or respiratory therapist at our free HelpLine, call 800.586.4872.
November 25, 2008 Number 166
Content:
- Finding Local Flu Shots
- Kickin’ Asthma Featured in Journal of School Health
- Freedom From Smoking® Helps Company Achieve Smoke-free Goals
- Association Joins Air District’s Healthy Hearths Initiative
- California Endowment Asthma Grant Funds Air Quality Projects
- New Online Interactive Tobacco Bill Tracker Launched
- Association Featured in New Smog History Book: Smogtown
- Researcher Studies Source of Acute Lung Injury
- Celebrate the Season with a Donation to Christmas Seals®
- Tell a Friend
MONTHLY HEALTH TIP
Finding Local Flu Shots The American Lung Association joined health officials to launch the Faces of Influenza campaign to prevent the spread of influenza by urging people to get vaccinated. For more on the campaign, go to www.facesofinfluenza.org To find a flu shot clinic nearest you, visit the American Lung Association’s www.flucliniclocator.org and enter your zip code in the Flu Clinic Locator box. You can also sign up to receive influenza updates on the latest news and information during flu season.
KICKIN’ ASTHMA FEATURED IN JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH
The Journal of School Health includes an article in the December volume about the results of a study on the American Lung Association of California’s Kickin’ Asthma program designed for urban middle and high school students. The article was co-authored by Bina Patel, who worked at the association as a program associate.
The study evaluated the implementation of the Kickin’ Asthma school-based asthma curriculum, which teaches asthma physiology and self-management techniques, to students in Oakland. It found that a school-based asthma curriculum designed specifically for urban students reduces symptoms, activity limitations, and health care utilization for intervention participants.
To view the article, go to http://www.calasthma.org/
For more information, contact Adam Davis at 510.893.5474 or adavis [at] alac [dot] org
FREEDOM FROM SMOKING® HELPS COMPANY ACHIEVE SMOKE-FREE GOALS
Smoking cessation in Los Angeles County is becoming more prevalent as more companies mandate their work campuses and their employees be smoke-free. The American Lung Association of California’s Los Angeles County office is working to help Baxter International comply with its smoke-free policy, effective January 1, 2009, by offering the association’s Freedom From Smoking® quit-smoking program.
Freedom From Smoking® classes are scheduled to begin in November at the company’s Los Angeles and Van Nuys facilities. The association is helping smokers break their addiction to tobacco while creating a key partnership with Baxter International by helping it meet its smoke-free goals.
For more information, contact Paul Knepprath at 916.554.5864 or pknepprath [at] alac [dot] org
ASSOCIATION JOINS AIR DISTRICT’S HEALTHY HEARTHS INITIATIVE
The American Lung Association of California is working with the South Coast Air Quality Management District to reduce wood smoke through the Healthy Hearths Initiative, which includes regulations, an incentive program, and an awareness campaign. While the association had pushed for stronger regulations, the initiative is an important step toward reducing wood smoke, which contains tiny particles that lodge deep inside the lungs and cause serious health problems.
Staffer Colleen Callahan is featured in two of the three Healthy Hearths videos created by the air district to educate people about the serious health risks associated with burning wood. For a link to the videos and other information about the campaign, go to www.healthyhearths.org
In other wood smoke news, new regulations to cut wood smoke in the San Francisco Bay Area went into effect November 1. The association was a strong supporter of the measure, which curtails wood-burning on nights when the air is unhealthy and limits visible emissions from chimneys year round.
Association representatives were quoted in the Marin Independent Journal and Press Democrat about the new rules. To view the articles, go to http://www.marinij.com/
For more information, contact Colleen Callahan at 213.384.5864 or ccallahan [at] alac [dot] org, or Jenny Bard at 707.527.5864 or jbard [at] alac [dot] org
CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT ASTHMA GRANT FUNDS AIR QUALITY PROJECTS
The California Endowment has awarded $168,000 over the next two years to support the San Diego Regional Asthma Coalition’s effort to improve indoor and outdoor air quality. The American Lung Association of California is the fiscal agent for the Community Action to Fight Asthma (CAFA) grant, which has two primary objectives. The first is to advocate for the passage of an ordinance in the city of San Diego mandating proactive inspections of rental housing that address asthma triggers. The second objective is to advocate for the Port of San Diego to factor diesel emissions and other air quality issues into its port expansion plan.
For more information, contact Debbie Kelley at 619.683.7519 or dkelley [at] alac [dot] org or Luis Lechuga, 619.297.3901, llechuga [at] alac [dot] org
NEW ONLINE INTERACTIVE TOBACCO BILL TRACKER LAUNCHED
The American Lung Association of California’s Center for Tobacco Policy & Organizing recently unveiled its new online Bill Tracker located at www.Center4TobaccoPolicy.org/
The Bill Tracker feature information in an easy to navigate format with six tabs to provide complete information on the bill language, status, committee and floor votes, organizations that support or oppose the bill, efforts by the tobacco industry to lobby the bill and any relevant media coverage. As new bills are introduced they will be added to the Bill Tracker and updated regularly.
In addition, the Center is releasing its annual Tobacco Vote Record for the 2008 legislative session, which features tables showing how each Assembly Member and Senator voted on tobacco-related bills that received a floor vote in at least one of the houses. To view the vote record, go to www.Center4TobaccoPolicy.org/
For more information, contact Justin Garrett at 916.554.5864 or jgarrett [at] alac [dot] org
ASSOCIATION FEATURED IN NEW SMOG HISTORY BOOK: SMOGTOWN
A new book titled Smogtown: The Lung Burning History of Pollution in Los Angeles chronicles the story of Gladys Meade, a longtime clean air advocate who worked for the American Lung Association of California for many years. The book, by Chip Jacobs and William J. Kelly, highlights Meade’s efforts in Southern California, where she championed formation of the regional South Coast Air Quality Management District, which gave downwind counties like Riverside and San Bernardino political power over major sources of pollution in Los Angeles County. Smogtown, published by Overlook Press, is available in bookstores and online.
To view a related Los Angeles Times article, go to http://www.latimes.com/
RESEARCHER STUDIES SOURCE OF ACUTE LUNG INJURY
A researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, is investigating a significant cause of acute lung injury – the transfusion of blood products. Acute lung injury is often a devastating syndrome associated with excessive inflammation of the lungs.
Mark Looney, MD, is focusing on a certain immune cell that has been identified as a major cellular source of injury in transfusion-related acute lung injury.
He is one of nine researchers funded by the American Lung Association of California in 2007-2008. To learn more about the research program and other funded projects, go to http://www.californialung.org/
CELEBRATE THE SEASON WITH A DONATION TO CHRISTMAS SEALS® While you enjoy special time with family and friends this holiday season, consider a donation to the American Lung Association’s Christmas Seal® campaign. To learn more, go to www.christmasseals.org You can also give to the American Lung Association by ordering your cards online at http://www.cardsdirect.com/
TELL A FRIEND Forward this e-newsletter to friends, family and business contacts. Encourage them to subscribe for free at www.californialung.org Signing up is easy. Just enter your e-mail address in the green box on the lower right corner of the homepage under the words “Get free monthly lung health news.”
