TOP STORY
THANK YOU! As the year comes to a close, we want to thank you for all your support that does so much to make our lifesaving mission possible! We are excited to share that the influential charity review organization GuideStar, just announced that the American Lung Association has been awarded its 2022 Platinum Award for Transparency. This is an important testament to our trustworthiness as good stewards of your donated dollars. See and share our rating on GuideStar here. We also want to share this new blog that shows 6 Ways Your Donation Makes an Impact.
Tell Congress to finish the FY23 Funding Bills -The federal government does a lot of lifesaving work for lung health, like research at the National Institutes of Health, youth vaping prevention, asthma data collection and intervention programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and air quality monitoring at the Environmental Protection Agency. Funding for the federal government expires this month: Please take action to tell Congress to finalize the funding for lung health programs.
Understanding Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) – Many parts of the country are experiencing an early and severe uptick in cases of RSV. RSV is the leading cause of hospitalization in infants. This common respiratory virus often produces mild symptoms, but it can be unpredictable and quickly worsen to severe illness. To help expectant and new parents be prepared for this seasonal respiratory virus, we have partnered with Sanofi to create new web content such as an “Understanding RSV” animation in English and Spanish, a blog highlighting a personal story, a PSA, patient and provider videos and a handout. Learn more at Lung.org/RSV.
Enroll Now for Healthcare Coverage! Enrollment for healthcare on Healthcare.gov is open through January 15 in most states. The American Lung Association has tools and information to help, including updated FAQs about the enrollment process and infographics to help people living with asthma and COPD choose a healthcare plan. We especially encourage you to watch our new videos with our LUNG FORCE heroes John and Tammie about the importance of quality, affordable healthcare for people with lung cancer. Please share the resources at www.lung.org/openenrollment with your family and friends!
Listen to Lungcast™ On our 37th episode of Lungcast, guests Dr. Edward Brooks at University of Texas at San Antonio and Dr. Charlene McEvoy at HealthPartners in Minnesota bring a shared expertise on indoor air quality health and research to discuss the resulting health ramifications. It is an enlightening conversation about the patient populations who are most impacted, plus what can be done to help mitigate the consequences. Tune into the interview, in partnership with @HCPLiveNews, at: Lung.org/lungcast
New 2023 Firefighter Calendar Now Available
The Lung Association is honoring firefighters and first responders who competed in Fight For Air Climbs across the nation to raise awareness and funds to support our vision of a world free of lung disease. Top firefighting fundraisers are featured in the annual calendar alongside fire-safety tips, stats on how fires affect our lung health and more. Order yours today!
Make a Difference with a Vehicle Donation: Did you know that you can donate a vehicle to the Lung Association? Your donation (car, truck, boat, RV, etc.) will provide funding for important research, education and advocacy that can help save lives. Learn more about our Vehicle Donation Program. Donating is easy with free pick-up and support – in fact, each vehicle donation is tax deductible!
Climb Stairs to Show You Care! Our Fight For Air Climbs are coming up in February. Now’s the time to sign up and show your support for healthier lungs! There are opportunities near you throughout the year for you to help drive our lifesaving mission. Explore our events that appeal to a full range of interests.
LUNG CANCER
Lung Cancer Awareness Month: During November’s Lung Cancer Awareness Month, we shared our many lung cancer resources, our “State of Lung Cancer Report,” inspiring patient stories and lifesaving information about lung cancer screening. We also featured this important blog that shared “5 Important Facts Everyone Should Know About Lung Cancer.” Learn more at Lung.org/LCAM.
LUNG FORCE Hero:
It has always been important to Edward to serve his country and help others, which is why he spent 24 years in the Air Force. Following his lung cancer diagnosis, he has been busy spreading awareness about the disease, including sharing his story with elected officials during the 2022 virtual LUNG FORCE Advocacy Day.
RESEARCH
Lung Health Cohort Research Study Now Enrolling: How does lung disease develop in young lungs? That’s one of the main questions to be answered by a pioneering long-term study of young adult lungs. The American Lung Association Lung Health Cohort Research Study will track 4,000 young adults at an age of peak lung health in order to understand how lung disease starts and how lung function declines over time. Knowing those things will help predict and prevent lung disease. Recruitment efforts have begun at many top institutions across the country. Learn more at: Lung.org/lung-study
TOBACCO
Addressing Commercial Tobacco Use in Indigenous Communities – We are joining the effort to educate and build confidence among public health professionals and community-based individuals addressing commercial tobacco disparities in Indigenous communities. We are pleased to share the American Lung Association’s Addressing Commercial Tobacco Use in Indigenous Communities Toolkit. Developed in partnership with Keres Consulting, Inc, the toolkit examines issues related to commercial tobacco use and nicotine dependence in Indigenous communities and provides culturally competent strategies, tools and lessons learned that can be implemented by public health professionals, clinicians and community partners serving diverse Indigenous communities.
This toolkit presents a model that honors the vision of decolonizing tobacco among Indigenous peoples as a path to fostering wellness and achieving health equity among Indigenous communities. We invite you to share this new resource with colleagues, community and corporate partners as collective action, rooted in cultural humility, can create achievable and sustainable change. Visit Lung.org or scan this QR code to download the toolkit.
EACH BREATH BLOG
For COPD Awareness Month in November, we highlighted this blog about Robert who was devastated by his COPD diagnosis, but his determination to learn about the disease and find support may be saving his life.
Have a Happy Healthy Holiday Season!
We wish you and those you love a happy and healthy holiday season! We look forward to working together in the New Year to help all Americans breathe easier.
Blog last updated: August 23, 2023
