FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Elite Runner Leads Marathon Effort to Help Educate
Chicagoans About Common Lung Disease
CHICAGO, Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Elite runner Colleen De Reuck will be
leading the way for the American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago's
marathon effort "Catch Your Breath," which hopes to educate Chicago-area
residents about the growing incidence of common respiratory disease in
women and some of the things that can be done to improve or maintain lung
health.
At 10:45 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, De Reuck and Dr. Robert Cohen, Medical
Director of Cardiopulmonary Physiology and Rehabilitation with Stroger
Hospital of Cook County, will address students at Lane Tech High School
(2501 W. Addison Ave.). At 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, they will speak to the
Better Breather's Club at Stroger (1901W. Harrison) at an event that is
open to the public.
"Like a marathon, it is a long, hard effort to educate and convince our
youth about the importance of maintaining lung health," said De Reuck,
whose grandmother began smoking at an early age and battled COPD (chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease), better known as chronic bronchitis or
emphysema, until it claimed her life in 1992 at 74. "Even though she
stopped smoking in her 50s, the damage had already been done. It was very
sad to see how her whole body began disintegrating."
Women and Lung Disease
To educate Americans about the growing incidence of lung disease in women,
the American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago created a butterfly
pin to represent this effort and communicate important information,
specifically:
- Approximately 1 million people in metropolitan Chicago suffer from lung
disease and more than half are believed to be women.
- Women have surpassed men as the leading victims of COPD.(1)
- 65 percent of asthma deaths are women.(1)
"We would like the kids to understand that while they may not be able to
avoid developing asthma, they can reduce their chances of getting COPD by
not smoking," Dr. Cohen said. "I believe hearing a real and personal story
from Colleen may help them understand there are very serious consequences
connected to smoking."
About COPD
COPD is a slowly progressive disease of the airways that is characterized
by a loss of lung function over time.(2) The symptoms that patients may
experience include chronic cough, excess mucus production, wheezing and
shortness of breath even after mild exertion or at rest.(2) An estimated
24 million adults in the United States have COPD, but only about 10 million
have been diagnosed. Globally, this disabling disease is the fourth
leading cause of death, claiming more than 2.7 million lives annually.(3)
About Asthma
Asthma is a chronic respiratory illness characterized by inflammation of
the airways as a result of lungs being overly sensitive to a certain
trigger.
For each asthmatic, the triggers may be different.(4) Allergies and other
environmental factors are common triggers that can cause recurring attacks
of wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath.(4)
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more
than 30 million Americans who have been diagnosed with asthma.(4)
Attacking the Problem
The American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago recommends that
anyone experiencing the signs or symptoms of COPD or asthma should visit
their physician and ask for a simple spirometry test of the lungs to
determine if they have a respiratory illness.
"Although many of the symptoms are similar, there is a difference between
COPD and asthma and diagnosing the illness correctly will result in the
physician treating the lung disease with the proper medicines," Dr. Cohen
said.
De Reuck believes that exercise can play an important role in lung health
as well.
"I don't see many marathon runners who smoke," De Reuck said. "Running and
exercising inspires a healthier lifestyle, which is why I encourage
everyone to try to exercise regularly. My mom and dad both smoked and
stopped cold turkey in their 30s when they began exercising regularly. It
led them down a healthy path."
The American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago is one of city's
oldest health charities. Formed in 1906 to combat tuberculosis, the
Association expanded its mission to prevent all forms of lung disease and
promote lung health through research, advocacy, education and community
outreach. More information is available at www.lungchicago.org.
The "Catch Your Breath" campaign is supported by Boehringer Ingelheim
Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(1) American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago,
www.alamc.org/site/epage/24542_487.htm
(2) National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Data Fact Sheet: Chronic
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
(3) World Health Organization. World health report 2003. Statistical
Annex. Annex table 2: 154-159.
(4) National Center for Health Statistics Asthma Prevalence, Health Care
Use and Mortality, 2002,
www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hestats/asthma/asthma.htm
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