American Lung Association Of The Southwest

TO SAVE LIVES BY IMPROVING LUNG HEALTH AND PREVENTING LUNG DISEASE

TOBACCO - WE ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO ELIMINATE TOBACCO USE AND TOBACCO RELATED LUNG DISEASE. OUR PROGRAM, EDUCATION, AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS PREVENT TEENS FROM STARTING TO SMOKE, LIMIT YOUTH ACCESS TO TOBACCO, HELP TEENS AND ADULTS TO QUIT SMOKING, AND REDUCE EVERYONE'S EXPOSURE TO SECONDHAND SMOKE. OVER THE PAST DECADE, THE ASSOCIATION HAS REACHED MORE THAN 31,000 YOUNG PEOPLE WITH YOUTH TOBACCO PREVENTION PROGRAMMING. MEANWHILE, THE ASSOCIATION HELPED MORE THAN 7,000 TEENS IN THEIR JOURNEY TO END THEIR ADDICTION TO TOBACCO USE THROUGH OUR UNIQUE TEEN SMOKING CESSATION PROGRAM.OUR ADULT TOBACCO CESSATION PROGRAM, FREEDOM FROM SMOKING, SERVED OVER 200 PEOPLE WITH THEIR "QUITTING" OBJECTIVES IN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR.

LUNG CANCER, ASTHMA, COPD AND OTHER LUNG DISEASES - THE ASSOCIATION IS WORKING TO REDUCE THE BURDEN OF LUNG DISEASE ON PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. IN FY15 WORK IN THIS AREA INCLUDES: (1) THE IMPLEMENTATION OF LUNGFORCE (AN INITIATIVE TO MAKE LUNG CANCER A NATIONAL PRIORITY, EDUCATE AND EMPOWER PATIENTS, CAREGIVERS AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND RAISE CRITICAL FUNDS FOR LUNG CANCER RESEARCH). (2) "SHARE OUR STORY" CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTS STORIES OF HOPE AND HELPS PUT A FACE TO LUNG CANCER. (3) THE INAUGURAL WOMEN'S LUNG HEALTH BAROMETER - A SURVEY OF OVER 1,000 AMERICAN ADULT WOMEN THAT MEASURES WOMEN'S AWARENESS, KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTIONS ABOUT LUNG CANCER - WAS CONDUCTED SHEDDING LIGHT ON SOCIETY'S VIEWS/STIGMAS. THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION IS UTILIZING THESE TOOLS AND MORE TO IMPROVE THE STATE OF LUNG CANCER AND REDUCE RISK FACTORS. (4) MEDICALLY LICENSED VOLUNTEERS PROVIDED LUNG DISEASE PREVENTION, EDUCATION OR TREATMENT SUPPORT TO MORE THAN 4,100 INDIVIDUALS IN THE REGION. (5) OVER THE YEAR WE PROVIDED CRITICAL DISEASE MANAGEMENT EDUCATION TO ALMOST 1,500 CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA THROUGH OUR OPEN AIRWAYS FOR SCHOOLS AND ASTHMA CAMP PROGRAMS. BY EQUIPPING CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THEY NEED TO BETTER MANAGE THEIR ASTHMA, WE HELP KEEP KIDS HEALTHY, ACTIVE, AND IN SCHOOL LEARNING, WHILE DECREASING THE EMOTIONAL AND FINANCIAL BURDEN ON FAMILIES OF VISITS TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, HOSPITALIZATIONS, AND MISSED DAYS OF WORK.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND ADVOCACY - WE STRIVE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE AIR WE BREATHE SO THAT IT DOES NOT CAUSE OR WORSEN LUNG DISEASE, AND PROTECT EVERYONE'S HEALTH. AS SUCH, WE WORK WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AIR QUALITY CONTROLS DISTRICTS, CLEAN CITIES, ADVOCACY COALITIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS TO PROMOTE REDUCED TRANSPORTATION IMPACTS AND INCREASED USE OF RENEWABLE FUELS AND GREEN ENERGY. WE ALSO ADVOCATE AT THE FEDERAL, STATE, TRIBAL COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL LEVELS TO MAINTAIN AND MONITOR ENFORCEMENT OF EXISTING PROTECTIVE STANDARDS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AIR POLLUTION MITIGATION. WE ARE ALSO THE GO TO ORGANIZATION FOR DATA REGARDING CLEAN AIR. FOR 16 YEARS, THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION HAS ANALYZED DATA FROM OFFICIAL AIR QUALITY MONITORS TO COMPILE THE STATE OF THE AIR REPORT.