Local Asthma Coalition
Calls for Action
on World Asthma Day
Group Kicks-Off Community Outreach Activities to Confront the Chronic Lung Disease
San Jose, Calif. – On May 6th, the Santa Clara County Asthma Coalition will join health advocates around the globe to recognize World Asthma Day. With a theme of “You Can Control Asthma,” the group will be hosting a number of activities to raise awareness about the chronic lung disease and the need for asthma-friendly environments.
“Asthma may not be talked about as much these days, but it remains a serious disease that can take an extreme toll on individuals, especially children,” said Margo Sidener, CEO of Breathe California of the Bay Area, who chairs the coalition. “Asthma remains the #1 cause of school absences among chronic diseases and costs California approximately $1.25 billion per year.”
Asthma is a chronic lung disease caused by inflammation o the airways. Exposure to certain “triggers” can cause an asthma attack, which can lead to coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and in extreme cases, even death. Approximately 227,000 Santa Clara County residents have asthma (13.4%), including 48,000 children. While there is no cure for asthma, most people can learn to control their asthma to lead full and active lives.
On World Asthma Day, the Santa Clara County Asthma Coalition will be hosting a FREE event for families with children who have asthma. The event will include child and parent health education workshops, FREE supplies and equipment to help families cope with asthma, as well as plenty of food and fun. The World Asthma Day event will be held from 4:00 to 7:30 pm at the Santa Clara Family Health Plan’s Family Resource Center, located at 1775 Story Road, Suite 130 in San Jose.
During May, the coalition will also be mobilizing a grassroots effort to advocate for new air quality regulations, secondhand-smoke protections and greater assistance for asthma patients. As a result, the coalition is calling for volunteers to aid these community advocacy efforts as well as to help the coalition host asthma awareness workshops for local schools, starting with an event at San Jose’s Parkview Elementary later this month.
The Santa Clara County Asthma Coalition is a partnership of health providers, community groups, advocates and concerned residents dedicated to reducing the burden of asthma in our communities. The coalition is chaired by Breathe California of the Bay Area and includes: Allergy One, Anthem Blues Cross, Camino Medical Group, Campbell Union High School District, Kaiser Permanente, San Jose Unified School District, Santa Clara County Public Health Department, Santa Clara Family Health Plan, Valley Health Plan and Valley Medical Center.
To learn more about asthma, the Santa Clara County Asthma Coalition or local World Asthma Day activities, please contact Breathe California at (408) 998-5865 or visit www.lungsrus.org.