COPD Conference Sets Awareness Goals through 2011

BREATHE LA attended the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's COPD Learn More Breathe Better® Community Partnership Planning Workshop in Bethesda, MD on March 2nd and 3rd, 2009. BREATHE LA staff were among 53 people, representing 15 states from New Hampshire to Hawaii and nine national organizations that gathered to demonstrate "commitment to raising awareness and reducing the burden of COPD-even in the face of a snowstorm," says Hager Sharp's Patricia Enright, one of the organizers of the conference.

Attendees pledged to work to continue awareness-raising campaign efforts. BREATHE LA 2008 COPD Public Service Awareness campaign included billboards, ads, radio PSAs, TV and print media coverage, and the launch of our Pulmones Libres Breathe Free program on BREATHE LA COPD AWARENESS DAY declared by the City of Los Angeles on November 14, 2008.

BREATHE LA commitment to raising awareness of COPD, risk factors, symptoms and treatment options, continues as we begin now to prepare for our November 2009 campaign. Taking part in the COPD Learn More Breathe Better workshops allowed BREATHE LA to benefit from "the energy and informed input" in large and small group discussions, advice and lessons learned and exciting coalition building opportunities. Our associates at BREATHE NEW HAMPSHIRE and the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago attended the workshop as well, and allowed us to BREATHE together as we prepare for an exciting 2009 campaign.