Karen Fulton

"To all of our
committed
community partners,
caring donors, and
dedicated staff and
volunteers — the
American Lung
Association owes
you its deep
appreciation."

From the President and CEO

Dear Friend,

Welcome to the inaugural edition of the online version of our Breathing Partners newsletter!

In an effort to bring you more timely and cost-efficient communication, we have created this e-newsletter. I hope you will elect to continue receiving this quarterly communication and enjoy reading about the lung health success stories that you have helped realize, such as the following:

• The American Lung Association of the East Bay formed a partnership with Children’s Hospital Oakland and the West Oakland Asthma Coalition. Together we have started providing on-site asthma management education for children hospitalized overnight due to an asthma attack. With one of the highest asthma hospitalization rate in the state, it is our hope we will provide the education and management skills necessary so that these children can avoid frightening trips to the emergency room.

• On August 21, nearly 100 East Bay children and youth attended our second annual Camp Breathe Easy in Livermore. This year they were joined by dedicated donors and volunteers, who toured the camp and had a “camp” lunch of hamburgers and fries with the children. With the support of donors and partners like Children’s Hospital Oakland and Taylor Family Foundation, we provided asthma management education and summer camp activities to children who otherwise might not have enjoyed this safe outdoor experience.

To all of our committed community partners, caring donors, and dedicated staff and volunteers — the American Lung Association owes you its deep appreciation. Thank you very much for your generous support and for helping the American Lung Association, Improving Life, One Breath a Time.

Yours in Lung Health,

Send an email to Karen Fulton

Children & Parents Learn about Dangers of Secondhand
Smoke at Annual Fresh Air for Little Noses Day

“My kids kept telling me that my smoking was hurting them, but I just didn’t believe them until I learned just how harmful secondhand smoke was from the American Lung Association. Now that I quit smoking around them, their lungs are cleaner and no more visits to the emergency room.”

— mother of four children with asthma

For the past 11 years, the Fresh Air for Little Noses project of the American Lung Association of the East Bay has been providing workshops for over 2,500 parents, childcare providers, case managers, and family outreach providers on how to prevent secondhand smoke exposure and control asthma.

On May 21, the project “took the show on the road,” and turned Oakland’s Children’s Fairyland into “Fresh Air for Little Noses Day,” with information booths, entertainment, and even an anti-smoking kung fu demonstration.

Thanks to a grant from First 5 Alameda County, funded by the Proposition 10 tobacco tax, over 250 low income children and their families were able to enjoy Fairyland for free, most of them for the first time, and learn about secondhand smoke and asthma through fun and age-appropriate arts and crafts projects and puppet shows like Captain Clean Air. The 4-foot tall Kids on the Block puppets actually chatted with kids about asthma and ways to prevent attacks in their show about asthma. Over a dozen American Lung Association staff and volunteers made the day very special for all the 1,000 Fairyland visitors that day.

.

No-Secondhand Smoke signs were handed out to Fresh Air for Little Noses Day visitors, including the very youngest.

This year American Lung Association of the East Bay Asthma Health Educator Sandra Sanchez played a life-sized Captain Clean Air.

After the children watched the puppet show, Captain “Sandra” Clean Air delighted the children by passing out Smoke-Free door hangers and advice on how to stay away from secondhand smoke.

Sometimes, Captain Clean Air comes as a hand puppet, other times in the form of a human. But whatever shape he or she comes in, Captain Clean Air has proven an effective way to educate children about secondhand smoke.

Find out more about Fresh Air for Little Noses by watching our video located in the media section of our website.

Dr. Jerrold Kram, Pulmonary Expert and Lung Health Advocate, Elected Chair of the American Lung Association of the East Bay

On July 1, 2005, Dr. Jerrold Kram assumed the Chair position of the Board of Directors, a position previously held by Les Hata, DDS.

Dr. Kram is a pulmonary expert who has been a volunteer for the American Lung Association for over ten years. He has chaired the Planning Committee for the Annual California Regional Medical Conference that the American Lung Association of the East Bay organizes every spring.

Dr. Kram is currently the Medical Director for the California Center for Sleep Disorders, which provides comprehensive care to patients who are experiencing sleep and/or wake problems.

In addition to being a lung health champion and committed American Lung Association volunteer, Dr. Kram is also an avid speaker on lung health issues.

Dr. Kram in the spring of 2005 during a speech on behalf of Spare the Air Days.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Delivers Keynote Address at Annual Clean Air Awards Luncheon

The 2005 Annual Clean Air Awards Luncheon was held on May 12th at the World Trade Club on the San Francisco waterfront.

Individuals and organizations that have helped improve the Bay Area air quality received Clean Air Awards from the American Lung Association. This year’s keynote address was delivered by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., a New York City attorney and environmentalist. In the keynote address, Mr. Kennedy stressed the need to protect the environment.

The Leadership in Air Quality Public Policy Award went to a collaborative effort of three organizations—The Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART), the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) for partnering to provide free public transportation to commuters on the first five “Spare the Air’’ days during the summer.

The pilot program was launched in 2004 to reduce Bay Area smog during the summer months when pollution levels are the highest.

John Chapman, Board member of the East Bay Community Foundation, received a Clean Air award for smart growth initiatives in the East Bay and their effect on the local air quality. John Chapman, Board member of the East Bay Community Foundation, and Karen Fulton, President and CEO of the American Lung Association of the East Bay, at the 2005 Clean Air Awards Luncheon.

Alameda and Contra Costa county residents in particular have reasons to pay attention to smart growth initiatives since these counties received failing grades for their ozone pollution levels in the annual State of the Air report released by the American Lung Association last April.

A child with asthma can live an active, healthy life as long as that child’s asthma is well-managed.

Photo by Reuben Garza

Tragic Asthma Death Leads to Changes

It was one of those unusually hot, still spring days and Marcus* felt his chest tightening as the PE teacher told the kids to start doing laps around the track.

Marcus said his asthma was acting up, but the teacher looked at the strapping 13 year old and decided he was “faking it.”

Marcus did the lap and then collapsed at the teacher’s feet. He died later that day from a severe asthma attack.

Unbelievable as this story may seem, the Oakland Unified School District like most districts in the state did not require that each child with asthma have an “Asthma Action Plan” on file at the school.

Had an Asthma Plan been in place, Marcus’ doctor would have listed all of his asthma triggers, medications, and the warning signs. This Plan would have alerted his PE teacher to the fact that exercise and hot weather were two of Marcus’ serious triggers, and this tragedy might have been averted.

Concerned that children with asthma were needlessly suffering and even dying, the American Lung Association of the East Bay redoubled their efforts to work with the Oakland Unified School District to prevent another tragedy like this from happening again.

The American Lung Association was able to celebrate a significant breakthrough this past spring, when the school district agreed to require that all students with asthma have an action plan on file and that teachers and other school personnel be able to access that information.

Using data collected from thousands of student surveys and asthma hospitalization rates, the American Lung Association staff were able to convince the school authorities to implement such a far-reaching policy change.

*Marcus is a pseudonym

 

Initative to Have Tobacco Tax Added to 2006 State Ballot Launched

The American Lung Association has teamed up with the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, California Primary Care Association, Children NOW, Children’s Partnership, PICO California, and the California Nurses Association to form the Coalition For A Healthy California to launch a campaign to raise tobacco taxes and save lives.

As a first step, the American Lung Association and its partners will gather about one million signatures to qualify the initiative for the 2006 Ballot.

During the winter and early spring of 2006, we will need 200 volunteers to help us gather signatures at neighborhood supermarkets and malls by asking people to sign the petition to place the initiative on the November 2006 state ballot.

The proposition will add a $1.50 tax to each pack of cigarettes. This added tax will help motivate smokers to quit and keep kids from starting. The tax will also help fund tobacco prevention, education programs, disease prevention, research, asthma programs, programs to insure under/uninsured children, nursing education, and training programs and scholarships.

If you want to experience this historic campaign from its beginning stages, you can volunteer to be a signature gatherer.

Please click here to fill out a volunteer form online.

CA Healthy Kids Survey Includes Asthma Questions for the First Time

Every two years, California students take the statewide California Healthy Kids Survey. The survey is designed to help schools and communities improve prevention and health programs; demonstrate need for program funding; and promote positive youth development, well-being, and academic success.

The most recent California Healthy Kids Survey included asthma questions for the first time as a result of the hard work of the American Lung Association of the East Bay.

The asthma data compiled from this survey was published in the May 2005 edition of California Asthma Facts, a collaborative report that the American Lung Association of the East Bay co-authored with the CA Department of Health Services and CA Environmental Protection Agency.

The report confirmed that asthma is the most prevalent chronic disease among children; that nearly one in five students have asthma; that asthma prevalence rates were highest among African-American students; and that one-third of students experienced one or more asthma-like symptoms during the last year.

The data in the report are crucial for developing and testing effective public health interventions, and can help public health professionals and school districts target the most vulnerable populations for services. These data can also be used to generate hypotheses about risk factors for asthma.

Excerpt from California Asthma Facts

American Lung Association of California Presents Awards to East Bay Volunteer and Staff - Awards Given at Annual State Conference in San Francisco on September 16, 2005

Stanley Tobin Honored as Most Distinguished Volunteer of the Year

The Pottenger Award recognizes outstanding volunteer service in the prevention and control of lung disease. The award was created in 1967 and is named in honor of Francis M. Pottenger, MD, the first specialist in tuberculosis on the West Coast and a founder of the statewide Christmas Seal Association.

This year’s Pottenger Award went to Stanley H. Tobin, an avid supporter and active volunteer for the American Lung Association of the East Bay for 42 years (called the Tuberculosis and Health Association when he joined in 1963).

More than two dozen of Mr. Tobin’s family members and friends joined him at the award dinner. Mr. Tobin has been a dedicated member of the board of directors, stepping down only when bylaws require it. He currently serves as Secretary and has held other offices over the years, including President in 1968-69 and Treasurer in 1986–87.

Stanley H. Tobin, long term volunteer and deserving recipient of the 2005 Pottenger Award. The award was presented by Bruce Herold, last year’s winner of the Pottenger Award and member of the American Lung Association Board of Directors.

He has worked on a variety of projects and campaigns for the association, including volunteering for the Chest Mobile, which visited schools and factories from 1962 to 1980. He regularly supports ongoing fundraising activities, including the Clean Air Luncheon, and raised more than $4,000 in the 2004 Asthma Walk.

Mr. Tobin is also a leader in his efforts to leave a legacy and promote planned giving. He has included the association in his estate plans and writes letters to prospective donors, encouraging them to include the American Lung Association in their planned giving.

To learn about planned giving, contact Patricia Clark, CFRE, Development Director for the American Lung Association of the East Bay at 510-893-5474, ext. 310 or via email at pclark@alaebay.org.

 

George R. Williams Award Presented to the East Bay Team

The American Lung Association of the East Bay was presented the 2005 George R. Williams Award in recognition of its exemplary achievements in reaching out to local communities to improve asthma outcomes and reduce tobacco use; working statewide to protect people from secondhand smoke; diversifying its income base; and managing more than $2 million in grants over the last two years.

The Williams Award was established to recognize a California association that has made extraordinary achievements in the areas of program, advocacy, fund development, communications or administration. The American Lung Association of the East Bay dedicated the award to Ruth Celle, long-term friend and supporter of the American Lung Association.

Ruth Celle during the Open House of the Emeryville office, spring of 2004.

 

Revenue and Expenses FY 2004-05

Acknowledgements

The American Lung Association of the East Bay deeply appreciates the generous support of individuals in our community. We are pleased to honor the following people who have made a commitment to the lung health of our children, families and communities.

Our heartfelt gratitude to the following people who gave $100 or more from January 1 to July 30, 2005.

The following individuals had Honorary, Memorial, or Celebratory gifts made in their name between July 1, 2004, and June 30, 2005.

CLICK HERE TO MAKE AN ONLINE DONATION

e-NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTION (TO SIGN UP OR OPT OUT)

Webmaster

The information contained in this American Lung Association® web site is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment, and the American Lung Association recommends consultation with your doctor or health care professional.

© 2005 American Lung Association®. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.