Feature story inside. NOVEMBER 2021 - November is National COPD Awareness Month Spreading Awareness for a Breathtaking Disease A Letter from the Breathe Southern California President & CEO November marks Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Awareness Month. This is a time where our community joins together to create visibility for this progressive lung disease that makes those who suffer from it feel like they are constantly out of breath. You probably know someone who has COPD, a group of progressive lung diseases such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis and severe asthma, that obstruct the airway, making it difficult to breathe Approximately 15 million Americans aged 45 and older have been diagnosed with this disease. However, it’s estimated another 15 million have symptoms but don’t know they have COPD. That would mean one-quarter of the U.S. population over age 44 suffers from COPD, which is the nation’s fourth leading cause of death. But it doesn't need to be this way. COPD is preventable, and if it's diagnosed early, it's possible to live a happy life with the disease. The problem is that research for COPD is tremendously underfunded and not enough people know how to prevent, recognize, or manage its symptoms. Most adults do not understand that a cough they “can’t seem to get rid of” or tightness in their chest people commonly ascribe to “just getting older,” are actually symptoms of this progressive chronic disease. Because of this lack of awareness, COPD patients are diagnosed, on average, 15 years after the first onset of symptoms! November is National COPD Awareness Month. We want all adults to be aware of the early symptoms and get screened for COPD if they have any. The test for COPD is a low-cost, non-invasive, breathing test with a device called a spirometer (“spur-AH-muh-ter”). That's why we've joined with the Dorney-Koppel Foundation to promote the COPD SOS Campaign, aimed at increasing awareness of COPD and providing useful information and resources to promote early diagnosis. If you think that you or someone you love may have COPD, send them this self-assessment questionnaire and encourage them to start a conversation with their doctor. The earlier the diagnosis, the greater chance they have to treat their COPD and maintain their quality of life. We are also highlighting COPD this month by jointly hosting the Pacific Coast Lung Health Conference. This virtual conference will enable physicians and other lung health professionals across the West Coast to learn about the latest research and treatments! You can still register if you’d like to join us for the latest on COPD treatment, research, technology, and management. Breathe SoCal is here to support every person affected by COPD, whether they just received a diagnosis, have been living with this disease for many years, are a caregiver or health care provider, or are merely interested in the topic. For more COPD resources, visit our website www.breathesocal.org or follow us on social media @breathesocal. Your support allows us to educate Southern California about COPD and provide critical resources to those living with the disease, as well as their dedicated caregivers and doctors. Thank you for joining us as we work to help all of us breathe easier. In Health, Marc Carrel President & CEO A Caregiver’s Perspective on COPD Meet Ben, an information technology consultant, passionate world traveler, and COPD caregiver. Just two years ago Ben’s life took a turn after his brother-in-law came back from a routine physical and shared that he had been diagnosed with COPD. Already busy with his career, Ben changed his lifestyle to help care for his brother-in-law, taking over cooking and cleaning and spending his free time educating himself about the disease. After two years of fighting for his breath, Ben's brother-in-law now struggles to participate in any major physical activities and his mood regularly swings from high to low. The diagnosis has also halted the family’s ability to participate in activities that they once enjoyed, such as traveling to different countries. Despite these difficult circumstances, Ben remains positive about his situation. When asked what advice he would give new caregivers who have recently discovered that their friend or family member has been diagnosed with COPD, Ben remarked, “I would encourage them to be more open-minded. It’s not the end of the world.” Ben is still trying to learn as much as he can to help his brother-in-law manage his COPD. It’s with this goal in mind that he found Breathe SoCal and decided to attend a virtual Adult Lung Health Workshop, where our health educators shared information on COPD triggers, habits for a healthier lifestyle, and how to advocate for quality care services. Ben encourages other caregivers to take advantage of the free resources that Breathe SoCal offers, explaining that the workshops are “very detailed” and the staff are “friendly.” When someone is diagnosed with COPD, having supportive friends and family members like Ben can be life-changing. Unfortunately, caregiving can be draining and often goes unrecognized. This National COPD Awareness Month, we celebrate caregivers and their dedication to supporting their loved ones. If you know a patient or caregiver who might be interested in attending one of Breathe SoCal's free Adult Lung Health Workshops, please email [email protected]. Thank you to Ben and his family for sharing their story. Celebrating 100 Years of Lung Health Education! Join us for a full day of engaging discussions and lectures from distinguished speakers on timely lung health issues. Participate in this virtual conference, which will also include exhibits on new treatments and therapies, and receive 4.75 MA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Learn More... RSVP Today Join us as we go back in time to a 1920s ‘speakeasy’ where we’ll kick up our heels to dance, dine, and celebrate the 100th anniversary of our health provider network, the Trudeau Society. All proceeds support Breathe SoCal’s health and environmental programs. Learn More... RSVP Today From 4-9pm, clean energy can be more difficult to come by and the demand is higher as more people are at home, cooking dinner, and using their devices. However, during the day and later at night, renewable energy sources are more readily available. Powering down from 4-9pm is the best way to ensure you’re using clean energy and saving money! Learn More Here Champion COPD Caregivers like Ben As a Chinese American, originally from Hong Kong, Ben's wish is to be able to connect with other Chinese patients and caregivers and have access to more Chinese-language resources to care for his brother-in-law with COPD. The Adult Lung Health Workshop that Ben attended was presented by Breathe SoCal through a partnership with Happy 50 Plus in both English and Chinese. Breathe SoCal continues to be an essential place for patients and caregivers to go to receive COPD management resources and connect with people who are undergoing similar struggles. With your support, Breathe SoCal can provide more bilingual lung health workshops in languages including Chinese and Spanish so that caregivers like Ben can access critical resources to support their loved ones. Donate Today! Don't be a stranger, stay in touch. 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