Mission Moment May 2023

TOP NEWS  

Asthma Awareness Month – Time to Get Involved: 
May is Asthma Awareness Month—time to raise awareness, take action and help make a difference in the lives of the more than 25 million Americans living with asthma. During May, we are committed to supporting those who live with this chronic disease by highlighting tools and resources to better manage and stay informed about asthma. These include our free Asthma Basics course, Patient and Caregivers Network, Lung HelpLine and more!

What the End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Means to You: On May 11, the public health emergency tied to the COVID-19 pandemic ended. While this doesn’t mean that COVID-19 is over, it does mean that coverage of COVID-19 testing and treatment is likely to change. The American Lung Association is monitoring any changes to COVID-19 care, is committed to helping people navigate this transition and is providing helpful, up-to-date, science-based information here.

High-Profile Voices Unite to End Lung Disease: Our new American Lung Association Ambassador Council is bringing together celebrities to give a voice to the 34 million people in the U.S. living with lung disease. These Ambassadors, including actors, professional athletes and other high-profile volunteers, are using the power of storytelling and outreach to share the Lung Association's vision of a world without lung disease.

PATIENT SUPPORT

Upcoming Health Equity Webcasts: Learn more about the American Lung Association’s newest resource, Addressing Tobacco Use in Hispanic or Latino Communities Toolkit, during our upcoming health equity webcasts featuring the toolkit’s lead author, Dr. Francisco Cartujano-Barrerra, University of Rochester Medical Center. These live webcasts will take place Wednesday, May 17 at 2 p.m. Central (English Language) and on Thursday, May 18 at 2 p.m. Central (Spanish Language), and will be available on-demand following the live webcast at the same link as copied below! 

• Register for the webcast in English on May 17 at: app.webinar.net/Wpk76kO62rl 
• Register for the webcast in Spanish on May 18 at: https://app.webinar.net/BPl4Q8R1zYa 

Asthma Awareness Month Learning Opportunities: Check out the American Lung Association’s recent asthma webinars:

• Caring for Someone with Asthma | Recorded May 3
   Learn from our featured speaker about identifying the caregiver role, what to do before, during and after an office visit, actions to take during an asthma emergency, and taking care of yourself. Hear caregiver and provider perspectives on shared decision-making for managing your loved one’s lung health. Resources are available. WATCH NOW 
• Trends in Asthma Care | Recorded March 23

This webcast is ideal for people living with asthma, their caregivers or anyone who wants to learn more about asthma.  Participants will learn about: different types of asthma, new and upcoming asthma treatments, tips for working with their healthcare provider, and available tools and resources. This webcast is made possible by Grant Number NU59EH001251, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. WATCH NOW

Living with Asthma? Remember your Vaccinations! Did you know that infectious respiratory diseases can trigger asthma exacerbations? Adults with asthma are at increased risk for infectious respiratory diseases such as pneumococcal pneumonia, pertussis (whooping cough),  COVID-19 and influenza complications. This is because certain vaccine-preventable diseases can lead to increased swelling of your airways and lungs. For your best protection, it is important to stay up to date on your vaccinations including:

• Influenza — To protect against seasonal flu each year. 
• Tdap — To protect against pertussis (whooping cough). 
• Pneumococcal pneumonia — To protect against the most common type of bacterial pneumonia. 
• COVID-19 — to protect against severe COVID-19 illness.

You can learn more about asthma and infectious respiratory disease by taking our online courses, Asthma Basics and Infectious Respiratory Disease Basics, and by contacting our Lung HelpLine at 1-800-LUNGUSA.

Learn More and Understand COPD with New COPD Basics Course: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of disability and death in the United States. More than 12.5 million people have been diagnosed with COPD, but millions more may have the disease without even knowing it. To improve care for people living with COPD, the American Lung Association launched COPD Basics, a free online course for people with COPD, their families and healthcare professionals is available here.  

Policy and Advocacy

Important Changes to Medicaid and CHIP Coverage
Continuous coverage requirements that helped patients keep healthcare coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic ended April 1. More than 95 million individuals who are currently enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (more than 1 in 4 Americans) will need to go through a renewal process over the next year. To help people understand this change and find new healthcare coverage, the American Lung Association has resources at Lung.org/healthcare, including fact sheets in English and Spanish and a great video featuring Lysa, a lung cancer survivor.

Thank you for all you do!
We are YOUR American Lung Association, and your generous support is the engine that drives our three-pronged mission of education, advocacy and research. Out of every dollar donated to the American Lung Association, 90 cents goes to program services that help all of us and our loved ones breathe easier, now and in the future!