Teen to Serve as Christmas Seals Chairperson in Jacksonville
Jacksonville, FLA (November 1, 2010)—
Madi Mack will serve as Jacksonville’s official chairperson for the 2010 Christmas Seals® campaign. Mack, 17, has lived with asthma, a chronic lung disease which causes breathing passages to become enflamed, for seven years.
Originally diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma at the age of nine, strong odors, allergens and even the common cold can complicate Mack’s condition. While she can still participate in sports and do the things that most teenagers do, she must take extra precautions to ensure her safety. One of the biggest adjustments Mack has faced was enrolling in Florida Virtual School, after attending high school landed her in the emergency room several times.
“Asthma doesn’t rule my life but it does play a big part in it. I would love to stay in school and see my friends all the time but I know it’s healthier for me to stay at home,” said Mack. “I want to make a difference in people’s lives and show them that having asthma isn’t the end of the world. As hard as it is, you have to be positive.”
Asthma is one of the main reasons that students miss school due to illness – more than 14 million lost school days each year. It is also one of the leading causes of hospitalization for children under 15. Serving as Christmas Seals® Chairperson is not the first time that Mack has been involved with American Lung Association activities. In the past she has been a part of the Fight for Air Run/Walk and other efforts in the organization’s Fight for Air. After graduation Mack plans on studying to be a doctor so that she can help in the efforts to find a cure for asthma and make a difference in the lung health of children everywhere.
“We are thrilled to welcome Madi as our Jacksonville chairperson for the 2010 campaign,” said Martha Bogdan, President and CEO of the American Lung Association of the Southeast, Inc. The Christmas Seals® rich holiday tradition continues to positively impact our fight for air at the local level by supporting services and programs surrounding healthy lungs and healthy air.”
The Christmas Seals® tradition is rich in history. In 1907, when tuberculosis was widespread and claimed the lives of countless individuals, treatment facilities called sanatoriums sprung up around the country, but most were makeshift and could only care for a few patients at a time. One of these sanatoriums in Delaware, which was in desperate financial straits, was run by a doctor named Joseph Wales. Dr. Wales asked his cousin, Emily Bissell, for help in raising money to care for the patients. Emily came up with the fundraising idea of the Christmas Seals® and the American Lung Association has used this concept for over one hundred years.
For more information on the history of Christmas Seals® or to place your order, make a donation or to share your personal Christmas Seals® story please visit www.ChristmasSeals.org.
###
About the American Lung Association in Florida
Now in its second century, the American Lung Association in Florida is the leading organization in the state working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. With your generous support, the American Lung Association is “Fighting for Air” through research, education and advocacy. For more information about the American Lung Association in Florida, or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit www.lungfla.org.
