Breath Matters
The American Lung Association in California’s Monthly e-Newsletter
Fighting for Air
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.
February 27, 2009 Number 169
Content:
- Monthly Health Tip: Are You at Risk for Sarcoidosis?
- San Francisco, Los Angeles Mayors Launch City Climb Challenge
- Statewide Public Policy Priorities Approved
- Association Supports Solar Energy Initiative in Los Angeles
- Long Beach May Allow Smoking at Indoor Cigar Lounges
- Double-Lung Transplant Recipient Joins Climb California
- Researcher Investigates Role of Bacteria in COPD
- Upcoming Events
- Go Green and Donate
- Social Networking Sites
- Tell a Friend
1. MONTHLY HEALTH TIP: ARE YOU AT RISK FOR SARCOIDOSIS?
If you are African American, you are greater risk for developing sarcoidosis, a disease that can cause severe inflammation in the lungs. To read a related article, go to http://californialung.org/
For a sarcoidosis fact sheet, go to http://www.thoracic.org/
2. SAN FRANCISCO, LOS ANGELES MAYORS LAUNCH CITY CLIMB CHALLENGE
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom have launched a mayors’ city challenge in support of the American Lung Association in California’s annual Climb California Stair Climb fundraisers in those two cities. The Mayors' City Challenge will determine which of the two cities hosts the most successful Climb California fundraising event.
The stair climbs, held at 555 California in San Francisco on Saturday, March 28, and the Aon Center in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 18, are physical challenges, competitive races, and casual fun climb events for the non-competitive athlete. Climb California also provides an opportunity to raise critical funds to help support the American Lung Association in California’s research, education and advocacy programs.
For a related release, go to http://californialung.org/
For details on Climb California events, go to www.climbcalifornia.org
For more information, contact Julie West at 510.638.5864 or jwest [at] alac [dot] org
3. STATEWIDE PUBLIC POLICY PRIORITIES APPROVED
The American Lung Association in California Board of Directors adopted the following public policy priorities for the organization in 2009:
- Fighting Global Warming: Fight for policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, industry, local government and other sectors, focusing on cleaner fuels and vehicles, renewable energy, and land-use and transportation issues.
- Fighting Lung Cancer: Advocate for an increase in research funding to find better lung cancer early detection methods and treatments by actively supporting and/or co-sponsoring legislation, budget proposals or ballot initiatives that establish new research programs and funding for these purposes.
- Fighting Tobacco: Secure policies that will increase the state tobacco tax and reduce smoking, and reduce public exposure to secondhand smoke.
- Fighting Budget Cuts and Rollbacks: Fight budget proposals that would harm public health programs and efforts to undo, delay or eliminate existing legislation or regulations that have been enacted to protect Californians’ health.
For public policy priority details, go to http://www.californialung.org/
For more information, contact Paul Knepprath at 916.554.5864 or pknepprath [at] alac [dot] org
4. ASSOCIATION SUPPORTS SOLAR ENERGY INITIATIVE IN LOS ANGELES
The American Lung Association in California is supporting Measure B, a green energy initiative on the ballot March 3 in the city of Los Angeles. Measure B promotes solar energy, a clean, healthy alternative to dirty fossil fuels.
Board Chair Trisha Murakawa is featured in a two-minute video clip endorsing Measure B as well as in a campaign public service announcement. To view the clip, go to http://www.
In addition, association staff member Colleen Callahan is featured in the Yes on Measure B brochure mailed to households throughout Los Angeles.
For more information, contact Callahan at 213.384.5864 or ccallahan [at] alac [dot] org
5. LONG BEACH MAY ALLOW SMOKING AT INDOOR CIGAR LOUNGES
In a dramatic rollback on critical public health protections, the city of Long Beach is considering allowing smoking at indoor cigar lounges. The American Lung Association in California is fighting the change, urging council members not to weaken efforts to protect the public from deadly secondhand smoke.
"If this ordinance passes," association staff member Steven Gallegos told the Los Angeles Times, "other cities throughout Los Angeles County will look at Long Beach and say, 'If they did it, we can too.’”
To view the articles, go to http://www.latimes.com/news/
He was also quoted in Britain’s The Guardian.
For more information, contact Gallegos at 213.384.5864 or sgallegos [at] alac [dot] org
6. DOUBLE-LUNG TRANSPLANT RECIPIENT JOINS CLIMB CALIFORNIA
Gurjeev Sachdeva is participating in the American Lung Association in California’s Climb California in honor of her donor and the donor’s family. The double-lung transplant recipient will join the stair climb event in San Francisco on March 28, where she will climb to the top of 555 California.
She saw Peter Szabo’s message about the climb on the video screen in her office elevator and decided to get involved. So far she has raised nearly $2,000 for the association’s research, education and advocacy programs.
To view her Climb California webpage, go to https://www.kintera.org/faf/
For more information, contact Julie West at 510.638.5864 or jwest [at] alac [dot] org
7. RESEACHER INVESTIGATES ROLE OF BACTERIA IN COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a debilitating lung disease that gets worse over time, leaving those with it struggling for every breath. More than 12 million Americans have been diagnosed with COPD.
While bacteria is thought to be responsible for up to half of all COPD episodes, little is known about the type and dynamics of bacteria in the airways of people with this disease. A researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, is hoping to change that.
Susan Lynch, Ph.D., is trying to determine which bacteria are present when people with COPD develop symptoms and how this microbial community changes over time.
She is one of 13 researchers funded by the American Lung Association of California in 2008-2009. To learn more about the research program and other funded projects, go to http://www.californialung.org/
8. UPCOMING EVENTS:
- March 7, Lake Elsinore, SkyDive With Us, http://www.skydive4free.com/
charities/96-american-lung- association-of-california.php 714.835.5864 - March 28, San Francisco, Climb California, Stair Climb Event, www.climbcalifornia.org, 510.893.5474
- April 4, Bakersfield, Healthy Air Walk, www.healthyairwalk.org, 661.847.4700
- April 11, Stockton, Healthy Air Walk, www.healthyairwalk.org, 209.478.1888
- April 18, Los Angeles, Climb California, Stair Climb Event, www.climbcalifornia.org, 213.384.5864
- April 18, San Diego, Evening in the Sky, www.eveninginthesky.com, 619.297.3901
- May 16, Sacramento, Healthy Air Walk, www.healthyairwalk.org, 916.554.5864
- June 6, Newport Beach Harbor, Oxygen Ball, www.alac.kintera.org/
oxygenball, 714.835.5864
9. GO GREEN AND DONATE: Go green this St. Patrick’s Day and let someone special know you are thinking of them with a donation to the American Lung Association. The association is fighting for air – for you and your loved ones. https://www.kintera.org/site/
10. SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES The American Lung Association in California is reaching out to diverse audiences through its social networking sites. To visit the association’s Facebook.com site, search for the American Lung Association of California and click on “become a fan” to RSVP for events, send event information to your friends, and post comments. The association’s My Space page at www.myspace.com/calung features information about the organization, upcoming events, and links to get involved. Its blog at http://alacsd.blogspot.com/ keeps users updated on recent news and upcoming events.
11. 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.”
