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.LUNG.USA.
November 3, 2008 Number 165
Content:
- Know Someone with COPD?: November Events Statewide
- Walk for Healthy Air and Support Lung Disease Programs
- Association Launches Lung Cancer Awareness Campaign
- Proposition 1A Would Fund Much-Needed High Speed Rail
- Association Weighs in on Southern California Ballot Initiatives
- Couple Protects Health in Landmark Secondhand Smoke Case
- Pasadena Passes Smoking Ban That Includes Rose Parade
- Riverside Volunteer Honored With Clean Air Award
- Association Serves as Key News Source for Wildfires, Health Tips
- ‘Poison’ Highlights Tobacco Smoke, Air Pollution Dangers
- ‘Cub’ Parker Named Outstanding Volunteer in San Diego
- Researcher Examines TB Bacteria’s Need for Iron
- Celebrate Thanksgiving With a Donation
- Tell a Friend
MONTHLY HEALTH TIP: KNOW SOMEONE WITH COPD? NOVEMBER EVENTS STATEWIDE
November is COPD Awareness Month and to help people with the chronic lung disease breathe easier, the American Lung Association of California will hold Respiratory Rallies for People with COPD in November in Los Angeles, Murrieta, Sacramento, San Diego, Santa Ana, Santa Barbara, Santa Rosa, and Stockton. The Respiratory Rallies are conferences that provide participants with the tools they need to better manage their lung disease and live more quality lives. The seminars feature medical speakers, motivational presentations, and sessions on a variety of related topics. To register, call 800.586.4872 or visit http://www.respiratoryrally.
WALK FOR HEALTHY AIR AND SUPPORT LUNG DISEASE PROGRAMS
It’s not too late to join hundreds of Californian’s who are taking steps to improve air quality and lung health. There is still time to participate in the American Lung Association of California’s Healthy Air Walks. Two more are scheduled this fall: November 9 in Burbank and November 16 in San Diego. Visit www.healthyairwalk.org to register.
Healthy Air Walks bring together people who want to fight lung disease – asthma, lung cancer, emphysema, or chronic bronchitis. Asking friends, family and coworkers to donate to this crucial effort is easy. In fact, you will probably find they are eager to get involved.
Does your company have a Healthy Air Walk team? Companies like Target Stores, Kaiser Permanente, Qualcomm, Time Warner Cable, and Union Bank of California do. Talk to your employer and coworkers about creating a corporate team.
ASSOCIATION LAUNCHES LUNG CANCER AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
The American Lung Association of California launched a new campaign to raise awareness about the devastating effects of lung cancer and the need for more research with a statewide news conference on October 21.
The campaign includes television public service announcements that feature three women who have been affected by lung cancer, including Deborah Morosini, MD, sister of the late Dana Reeve; Grace White, a comedian with lung cancer; and Alison Riddle, who lost her young sister to the disease, as well as print ads/posters highlighting people whose lives have been torn apart by lung cancer. The three women spoke at the news conference along with association Chair Trisha Murakawa and Philippe Montgrain, MD, a lung cancer researcher at the University of California, San Diego, funded through the association’s research program.
The news conference garnered attention from a number of news outlets, including the Los Angeles Daily News and several Bay Area media.
To view the news release, hear the news conference, or download the public service announcements and free ads/posters, go to http://californialung.org/
For more information, contact Andy Weisser at 818.703.6444 or aweisser [at] alac [dot] org
PROPOSITION 1A WOULD FUND MUCH-NEEDED HIGH SPEED RAIL
The American Lung Association of California is actively supporting Proposition 1A on the November 4 ballot, which would authorize the state to sell $9.95 billion in general obligation bonds to fund pre-construction activities and construction of a high-speed passenger rail system in California, and capital improvements to passenger rail systems that expand capacity and/or enable train riders to connect to the high-speed rail system.
For more information, go to http://www.
ASSOCIATION WEIGHS IN ON SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BALLOT INITIATIVES
To reduce the number of cars on the road in smoggy Los Angeles, the American Lung Association of California is supporting Measure R on the November 4 ballot in Los Angeles County, with association Chair Trisha Murakawa appearing in related television and radio ads urging a yes vote. Measure R would fund rail expansion and improved public transportation.
The association has also joined the San Diego Regional Asthma Coalition to oppose Proposition B in San Diego, which would allow the construction of a deck over the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal. Installing a deck over an existing source of emissions undoubtedly would complicate the work of reducing emissions and increase pollutant concentrations at the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal, adding to the health risks of port workers and others.
For a full statement and helpful links, go to http://alacsd.blogspot.com/
COUPLE PROTECTS HEALTH IN LANDMARK SECONDHAND SMOKE CASE
A Dublin couple has set a legal precedent by using the city’s landmark secondhand smoke nuisance law, actively supported by the American Lung Association of California, to obtain a temporary restraining order to stop a neighbor from smoking near their apartment.
Nancy and Chuck Sanders had tried for more than a year to get their neighbor to stop smoking near their apartment on Cottonwood Circle because the secondhand smoke was entering their unit through a ventilation system. They spoke to him and wrote letters. Nothing worked. That's when the couple decided to go to court, where they received a restraining order prohibiting the neighbor from smoking within 25 feet of their residence.
To view related news coverage, go to:
http://kgoradio.com/Article.
http://www.nbcbayarea.com:80/
For more information, contact Serena Chen at 510.893.5474 or schen [at] alac [dot] org
PASADENA PASSES SMOKING BAN THAT INCLUDES ROSE PARADE
People can now enjoy a smoke-free Rose Parade thanks to a new outdoor smoking ban in nonresidential areas of Pasadena supported by the American Lung Association of California. The City Council approved an ordinance on October 20 that outlaws smoking in outdoor shopping and dining areas, in ATM and movie ticket lines, within 20 feet of building entrances and at outdoor events. Smoking is already prohibited in parks. Violators would be fined $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second and $500 for third or subsequent violations. The ordinance takes effect in November.
To view a related article, go to http://www.pasadenastarnews.
For more information, contact Steven Gallegos at 213.384.5864 or sgallegos [at] alac [dot] org
RIVERSIDE VOLUNTEER HONORED WITH CLEAN AIR AWARD
The South Coast Air Quality Management District honored a Riverside teen with its Clean Air Award recently for research she conducted on so-called “air purifiers.” The American Lung Association of California nominated 14-year-old Otana Jakpor, whose experiments found that devices sold as "air purifiers" impaired the lung function of people who use them. Her work was among the evidence and testimony that compelled the state to ban air purifiers that emit harmful levels of corrosive ozone gas, which the association actively supported.
Jakpor volunteers for the American Lung Association of California in its Riverside office and her mother recently joined the Air Quality Committee there.
To view an article about her research, go to http://www.pe.com/localnews/
For more information, contact Terry Roberts at 909.884.5864, troberts [at] alac [dot] org
ASSOCIATION SERVES AS KEY NEWS SOURCE FOR WILDFIRES, HEALTH TIPS
During the recent wildfires, the American Lung Association of California served as a key news source for lung health tips related to smoky conditions, quickly responding with critical information to help protect lung health. The association secured news coverage in the Los Angeles Times, Riverside Press Enterprise and FOX TV Los Angeles.
To view related coverage go to:
Los Angeles Times: During fires, try to be good to your lungs <http://latimesblogs.latimes.
My FOX Los Angeles: Southern California Wildfires: Air Quality Advisories <http://www.myfoxla.com/myfox/
Riverside Press Enterprise: LA Fire Update
<http://www.beloblog.com/Pe_
‘POISON’ HIGHLIGHTS TOBACCO SMOKE, AIR POLLUTION DANGERS
“Poison is Poison” is a 30-second television public service announcement that compares tobacco smoke to tailpipe exhaust to draw attention to the poisons contained in smoke inhaled by smokers and others around them. Independent filmmaker John Sullivan created the video and donated it to the American Lung Association of California.
“The subject is important to me because family members have died from lung cancer,” Sullivan said. “The thought of someone putting their mouth to an exhaust pipe is disgusting, yet smokers inhale worse into their lungs.”
To view the public service announcement, go to http://californialung.org/
For more information, contact Andy Weisser at 818.703.6444, aweisser [at] alac [dot] org
‘CUB’ PARKER NAMED OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER IN SAN DIEGO
Culver "Cub" Parker has been selected as the 2008 Combined Health Agency Volunteer of the Year for the American Lung Association of California and was recently honored at an awards reception at Qualcomm Hall in the Sorrento Valley area.
Parker has lived in the San Diego area for 35 years. He has served as chairman of the American Lung Association of California’s Leadership Council in San Diego for two years and, together with his wife Elisa, has chaired the annual Evening in the Sky fundraising event since 2006.
For more information, contact Ross Porter at 619.549.2793 or rporter [at] alac [dot] org
RESEARCHER EXAMINES TB BACTERIA’S NEED FOR IRON
A researcher at the University of California, Irvine, is studying the role of iron in bacteria that cause tuberculosis (TB), which kills more than 2 million people around the globe each year. Celia Goulding, Ph.D., is examining how these bacteria import iron from the body, which it needs to survive, in hopes of finding new treatments for TB.
Dr. Goulding 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 THANKSGIVING WITH A DONATION While giving thanks this holiday season, please consider a donation in honor of the special people in your life so they can breathe easier. To donate, go to http://californialung.org/
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.
