April 19 , 2007

Contact:
- Andrew Weisser, (818) 703-6444, aweisser@earthlink.net
www.californialung.org
or your local American Lung Association at (800) LUNG-USA

Free Transportation Offered to Los Angeles Respiratory Health Conference

-- American Lung Association of California Conference for People with Emphysema, Chronic Bronchitis and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

(CARSON, CA, April 19, 2007) The American Lung Association of California, Providence-Little Company of Mary Hospital and other partners will hold their inaugural Respiratory Rally: Passport to Better Breathing, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday, May 3, in conference rooms A and B at the Carson Civic Center, 801E. Carson St., with free transportation provided from sites throughout Los Angeles County.
 
The conference is open to everyone in Los Angeles County living with emphysema, chronic bronchitis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), their caregivers, and family members. Free transportation to and from the event will be provided at the following locations: Citrus Valley Medical Center in Covina, Glendale Adventist Hospital, Long Beach Medical Memorial Hospital, UCLA Medical Center, Martin Luther King Hospital, and Barlow Respiratory Hospital in Los Angeles. The event is available for no charge, and there is a suggested donation of $8 per person to help cover conference costs. Nobody will be turned away for lack of funds.
 
This one-day conference is planned and implemented by a team of health professionals, including physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and respiratory patient volunteers from community partners throughout Los Angeles County. Respiratory Rallies are being held around the state to help ease the suffering caused by emphysema and chronic bronchitis, also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Susan and Jim Shields can travel again now that they have a portable oxygen concentrator to supply Jim with the oxygen he needs wherever they go. They learned about it at the American Lung Association of California’s Respiratory Rally in Santa Barbara last year that provided people with lung disease the informational tools they need to breathe easier.

American Lung Association Respiratory Rally events highlight lung disease issues to raise awareness, lift spirits, and improve the quality of life for people with lung disease.

In addition to the valuable medical information, the events are designed to encourage social interaction between people who share a common problem. Participants are able to talk about issues with others who understand and exchange solutions for common situations, which helps decrease feelings of isolation often associated with lung disease. The Respiratory Rally experience will also include complimentary food, refreshments, entertainment, as well as valuable raffle and door prizes. The venue will be complete with fun travel themed decorations that reinforce the concept of patient empowerment.

Nearly 4 million California adults live with lung disease, which can take a heavy toll on quality of life. About one in five cases of both diminished health and depression can be attributed to lung disease.

Like many of the event attendees, Jim has COPD, including bronchiectasis and chronic bronchitis. While the majority of people with COPD are former smokers, Jim never smoked a day in his life.

“The air pollution growing up in New York and a career spent working with solvents may have had something to do with it,” explained Susan, who attended the rally last year and brought back a host of information for her husband. “It was very educational. It reinforced what I already knew and gave me new information about medicines, treatments, and the value of pulmonary rehabilitation for my husband.”

“Educating people on chronic lung disease makes a huge difference in quality of life,” said Jeffrey Kupperman, MD, a longtime American Lung Association volunteer and current president of the American Lung Association of California’s medical section, the California Thoracic Society, who spearheaded the effort to hold rallies throughout the state.

“I learned so much from other people at the rally,” Susan said. “In fact, it was somebody at the rally who encouraged us to attend Better Breathers.”

The American Lung Association’s Better Breathers groups provide ongoing support for the Shields and others. Participants meet regularly to listen to speakers, learn how to stay active, share ideas, and comfort each other when health problems become overwhelming.

“It’s important for people with lung disease and their families to get this kind of support and learn everything they can about the disease,” Susan said. The couple wanted to attend the recent Respiratory Rally in Santa Barbara, but they were in Hawaii thanks to what they learned at last year’s event.

For more information contact Colleen Callahan at 323.839.8116, ccallahan@oclung.org

For 100 years, the American Lung Association has been the lead organization working to prevent lung disease and promote lung health. Lung disease death rates continue to increase while other leading causes of death have declined. The American Lung Association funds vital research on the causes of and treatments for lung disease. With the generous support of the public, the American Lung Association is “Improving life, one breath at a time.” For more information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, call 1.800.LUNG.USA (1.800.586.4872) or visit www.californialung.org or www.lungusa.org.call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or visit www.californialung.org.