In observance of COPD Awareness Month 2008, the COPD Learn More Breathe Better® campaign introduces “Learn About COPD Days,” November 13-16. New materials, including e-cards, a website widget, and a new downloadable factsheet, are available on the website. We’ve designated those 4 days in November, and highlighted the number 4 in our materials, to remind America of the prominence of COPD and the importance of creating awareness. COPD is the 4th leading cause of death in the U.S., there are 4 key symptoms to recognize, and 4 things you can do to breathe better with COPD. Check out these new tools now, and use them as you plan awareness raising events in your hospital, workplace, local community center, or place of worship. Be sure to register those events at the website by October 3, and get free printed materials.
The NHLBI and the COPD Foundation, in partnership with the Durham Bulls—a Minor League Baseball team in North Carolina—hosted COPD Awareness Night at the Ballpark, an awareness and screening event to educate fans about the signs, symptoms and risk factors for COPD. The event, which was supported by the COPD Foundation through an unrestricted educational grant from Dey, LP was a homerun!
The game drew more than 7,100 fans, where nearly 100 lung function tests were administered, thousands of COPD Learn More Breathe Better® fact sheets were distributed and an on-field pre-game ceremony was held recognizing members of the North Carolina COPD Task Force for their efforts to raise awareness of COPD across the state. Media coverage included a pre-game radio interview with John McGuire of the COPD Foundation and a television interview with North Carolina COPD Task Force member and chief of pulmonary medicine at the University of North Carolina, Dr. James Donohue. See In the News for more.
The Courier-Journal profiled two women currently living with COPD and highlighted the need for early detection. The article references the COPD Learn More Breathe Better® campaign as well as National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute statistics. The Courier-Journal reaches 215,328 readers. To read the story, visit: www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008808210357.
Dr. James Donohue of the North Carolina COPD Task Force was interviewed about COPD during the live television broadcast of the Durham Bulls game on COPD Awareness Night at the Ballpark. Dr. Donohue spoke to the prevalence of COPD in North Carolina and encouraged fans to visit the screening area to learn more. To listen to the interview, click here.
John McGuire of the COPD Foundation was interviewed about COPD and the COPD Awareness Night at the Ballpark event during the pre-game radio show. Click here to listen.
The local NBC station in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina aired a story about living with COPD that featured COPD patient Archie Copeland and Dr. James Donohue, Chief of Pulmonary Medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and North Carolina COPD Task Force member. The reporter visited the COPD Foundation’s Mobile Screening Unit for a first hand look at spirometry testing. To view the story, visit: chapelhill.mync.com/site/chapelhill/news/story/7719/copd-increasingly-common-hardly-known
Tell us about you! Email us to let us know what your organization is doing on behalf of COPD awareness.