November 2023

November... A Major Month to Remember!

MARC MY WORDS: Thoughts from Breathe SoCal's President & CEO

There are so many things to reflect on in November...Veterans Day, for starters. A day to remember and honor those men and women that sacrificed so much for the freedoms we enjoy today.

Then of course there's the well loved Thanksgiving. This brings an opportunity to slow down, gather and give thanks for the gifts in our lives (both big and small)... for which there are many.

But as President and CEO of a nonprofit focused on lung health and clean air, I also wanted to make sure to mention that it is both COPD Awareness Month AND Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

These are two very important events that deserve much more attention, as we all navigate our health and compromised environment within the modern world. After all, our indoor and outdoor environments are inextricably connected.

As I write this I can't help but reflect that it's November 15th which is COPD World Awareness Day. Why so many dates, you might ask?

Well, COPD lung cancer are silent and often hidden killers that need to be called out and made top of mind among the myriad of health issues that millions of people suffer from world wide.

There needs to be a clarion call of sorts to bring more research, eduction, funding, and invaluable conversations around what can be done to improve our lung health individually and collectively. This is something I'm personally very passionate about and grateful for because I have seen firsthand what these lung diseases can do to individuals and their families.

Whether it's our webinars, lung screenings, lectures, conferences, or screening workshops with community partners, we are committed to bring awareness of these illnesses into our work to improve your life and the lives of every Southern Californian.

"Breathe is Life" is actually the theme for COPD awareness month! We here at BreatheSoCal couldn't agree more.

Happy Holidays to you and yours.

In Health,

Marc Carrel

President & CEO

Did You Know??...

It's with great pride and gratitude that BreatheSoCal's, BlueSkyLA Program Lead, Sylvia Segura, along with her dedicated team were not only nominated for the L.A Civic Leadership Award, presented by L.A WORKS...

But they actually Won!

As Sylvia remarked "I was so shocked about it but proud because we work hard!" Indeed they do... Hard work, passion and an inspired purpose, providing real change in Southern California is what BreatheSoCal and BlueSky LA are all about!

So many wonderfully, impressive nominees came together for L.A. Works’ inaugural awards event, where they recognized the exceptional contributions of individuals and organizations who have made a positive impact on Los Angeles.

Our President and CEO, Marc Carrel joined Sylvia in accepting the award and discussed the vision for clean air by the 2028 Olympics. A proud moment for sure! It really does take a village and we are over the moon with ours.

BlueSky LA hosts monthly volunteer opportunities. To find out more go to BlueSky LA. 

Make sure to connect!