Cynthia C. Carter

Ms. Carter's involvement with BREATHE LA began as a volunteer in 2003 at the request of a friend who was a Board member. She is retired as a Senior Personnel Analyst, City of Los Angeles, Personnel Department and has served as an At-Large member of the Executive Committee and on the Development/Marketing Committee. She joined the Board in 2006 to further her commitment to support the critical research and education in the aid (and prevention) of sufferers with asthma, COPD, and other lung health issues.

"In April 2004, my mother said she couldn't breathe at night. In the hospital, they took out 2 liters of liquid that were pressing against her lungs when she tried to sleep. She was diagnosed with lung cancer.

This disease slowed her down, although she was still an active 81-year woman who loved to garden, grow food, and mostly walked everywhere she needed to go.

Later, she began radiation treatments, and my sister Luci took on the major responsibility of taking her.

Luci had asthma since childhood. She was allergic to triggers from "everything" (dust, chocolate, etc.) but led an otherwise full life, using enhalers, (hospitals on emergencies)....

In mid-December of the same year, my sister thought she had the flu and went to the doctor. They gave her a flu shot and sent her home. The doctor called that night and told her to come back due to the results of her blood tests. She was admitted the next morning - the diagnosis was pulmonary embolism and the cause/source was yet unknown. (She had her 55th birthday in the hospital.)

On January 6, 2005 the doctor informed us her condition-blood clots in the lungs-had originated from breast cancer. Luci passed away on January 8th. I had to break the news to my mom.

That year, on December 6th, my mother passed away. Both my mother and sister never smoked. I have two remaining younger twin brothers; one has adult-onset asthma, and I don't want to lose any more loved ones.

We cannot live, if we cannot breathe. Please join me [us] in supporting the Breath of Life."