TOP NEWS
Healthy Lungs, Healthy Schools
Millions of kids and college-age students are heading back to the classroom. To ensure that everyone has healthy lungs and a healthy school year, we’re providing support, guidance and resources for parents, young adults and schools in four critical areas of lung health: asthma, tobacco and vape use, indoor air quality, and respiratory diseases and vaccinations. These efforts include our comprehensive Creating Lung-Friendly Environments for Youth initiative, offering guides and sample policies that can be implemented in schools to protect students and staff. Visit Lung.org for more information.
‘Extraordinary’ Volunteer Christy Fischer Honored with Will Ross Medal — We recently honored dedicated volunteer Christy Fischer with the esteemed Will Ross Medal. Fischer’s involvement with the Lung Association began as a response to her own 17-year battle with lung cancer. Determined to turn her personal experience into a force for positive change, she has shared her story to raise awareness in videos and at events, helped recruit businesses to join the LungLove campaign, and traveled to Washington, DC to advocate for lung cancer research funding and healthcare protections. “Her unwavering commitment to raising awareness, supporting research and providing aid to those affected by lung disease has left an indelible mark on the Lung Association and the communities we serve," said Harold Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association.
Meet the 2024-2025 Lung Association Board of Directors — We recently announced our board of directors and officers who will provide strategic and governance oversight in support of our mission in the coming year. David Hill, MD was installed as chair of the volunteer board, succeeding Cheryl Calhoun who is transitioning to the immediate past chair role. Michael V. Carstens has been appointed chair-elect, Mark Johnson has been appointed Secretary/Treasurer. We also welcome new board members: JuliAn Coy, Vin Gupta, MD, MPA and Joy Kleinmaier, MBA. For more information on the Lung Association Board of Directors, visit Lung.org.
Lung Association Seeks Applicants for Research Awards— We’re seeking applications for our 2025-2026 research grant and award cycle, supporting the next generation of scientists and accelerating potentially transformative discoveries in the prevention, detection and treatment of lung disease. This year’s 10 funding opportunities include two new awards: a grant supporting research on the impact of indoor air quality on lung health, and the American Thoracic Society/American Lung Association Commemorative 120th Anniversary Joint Research Award.
SUPPORT THE LUNG ASSOCIATION
Find a Fall LUNG FORCE Event Near You—LUNG FORCE Walks and Run/Walks—supporting our lung cancer education, advocacy and research programs—are scheduled throughout the country in September, October and November. Register today for a LUNG FORCE Walk or Run/Walk near you.
RESEARCH NEWS
Study Reveals Key Gender Differences in Asthma Control and Severity: Women Face Greater Challenges—A new study found that female patients with asthma generally have poorer control of their asthma, have more exacerbations, and show higher airway resistance, while males have more severe airway obstruction and persistent airflow limitation. This is important because it highlights differing effects of asthma between males and females, helping doctors tailor treatments more effectively. Monica Kraft, MD is an investigator of the Lung Association Airways Clinical Research Centers.
New Nanomaterial Enhances Atherosclerosis Treatment by Targeting Inflammation—Lung Association-funded research found that a new substance called black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNSs) can help treat atherosclerosis (thickening or hardening of the arteries) by reducing inflammation and harmful molecules in the blood, which improves the stability of plaques. This is important as BPNSs provide a new way to treat atherosclerosis and may help with other diseases that involve inflammation. Senior author Wei Tao, PhD received a Lung Association Lung Cancer Discovery Award for their work on using inhaled nanoparticles to treat lung cancer.
Updated Asthma Trends Brief—Asthma, a serious chronic lung disease causing inflamed airways during episodes and leading to millions of hospitalizations each year, affects nearly 27 million adults and 4.5 million children. We recently updated our Asthma Trends Brief – our comprehensive report highlighting asthma demographics, statistics, hospitalizations, disparities in mortality and care, and other information – providing an overview of the burden and costs of this disease.
PATIENT SUPPORT
New COPD Resources—New resources are available providing improved accessibility to vital self-management tools for those living with COPD. Our new, easy-to-use COPD Action Plan guides individuals in their daily plan for managing their disease and is available in four languages. The new COPD Basics Booklet provides a go-with-you guide on what you need to know when living with COPD.
New Smart Surfaces and Excessive Heat Resources —We have launched a summer long series of Each Breath blogs to address excessive heat. Please see links below:
- Critical Steps Communities Can Take Now to Reduce Extreme Heat and Poor Air Quality this Summer (May 15, 2024)
- Navigating Urban Heat: How Smart Surfaces Offer a Cool Solution (May 28, 2024)
- 5 Home Improvement Projects to Help You Breathe Easier (June 7, 2024)
- 10 Simple Action to Protect Your Home from Heat (July 17, 2024)
Lung Health Navigators Offering Ongoing Support — The Lung HelpLine, in partnership with the Patient & Caregiver Network (PCN), continues to enhance services for individuals living with lung disease and their caregivers. This past year, we launched the Lung Health Navigator initiative which is available nationwide. Our Navigators empower people to understand and manage their lung health. We offer FREE one-on-one education programs via phone or video to support those living with lung diseases, including COPD, asthma and lung cancer. Visit Lung.org/helpline to learn more.
In May the Navigators also started leading new monthly supportive and educational discussion groups for PCN members with asthma, lung cancer, COPD and other lung diseases. And the Navigator initiative continues to grow, based on need. A pilot “active chat” program was launched within our Lung.org platform; targeting individuals searching for information on Lung Cancer Screening. For more information, please reach out to Lung HelpLine at helplineinfo@lung.org.
ADVOCACY UPDATE
Menthol Cigarette Smokers Want to Quit, Aren’t Receiving Help—People who smoke menthol cigarettes are more likely to want to quit—72.2% compared with 65.4% of people who smoke non-menthol cigarettes; however, 48.2% had not received advice from their healthcare provider about quitting and only 35.2% used proven methods to help them quit, according to findings highlighted in a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) article. The findings support the need for President Biden “to finalize rules to end the sale of menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars in the U.S. before he leaves office,” according to Lung Association President and CEO Harold Wimmer, who issued a statement. Our Freedom From Smoking® program is one of the most effective cessation programs in the country. Visit Lung.org/quit-smoking for more information.
Lung Association Opposes Efforts to Weaken FDA Authority Over Tobacco Products—We recently expressed our opposition to the U.S. Committee on Appropriations Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration (Ag-FDA) bill, which includes provisions, also known as riders, that if enacted would undermine the Food and Drug Administration (FDA’s) Tobacco Control Act. The legislation “threatens the FDA’s ability to protect the health of the public and our nation’s youth from tobacco products from tobacco products,” said Harold Wimmer, Lung Association President and CEO in a statement.
EACH BREATH BLOG
Can You Detox Your Lungs? —In recent years, natural remedies and "detoxification" diets have gained popularity as a quick and trendy way to eliminate toxins from your body. While some products are marketed to aid in weight loss, improve digestion or enhance energy levels, others claim to reverse years of damage to organs such as your lungs. But do these products – including vitamins, teas, oils, salt inhalers and masks – really work? Read more.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
Because of your support, we have made 120 years of impact by saving lives. Our work directly touches more than 25 million people living in the U.S. each year and supports millions more with our pioneering model of education, advocacy and research. Thank you for all you do to help us all breathe easier!
Blog last updated: September 17, 2024
