For more than 115 years, Americans have trusted the American Lung Association to protect their lungs, whether it's researching treatments and cures for lung diseases, keeping kids off tobacco, including e-cigarettes, or advocating for laws that protect the air we all breathe.
Their goals are big—defeat lung cancer, create a tobacco-free future, champion clean air for all, and improve the quality of life for those living with lung disease.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., and despite its undeniable impact on our nation, the disease often remains in the shadows. While there are many misconceptions about lung cancer, the fact is that anyone can get it, and no one deserves it. Every day, lung cancer takes the lives more than 357 of our friends, neighbors and loved ones.
More than 34 million Americans live with a chronic lung disease like asthma and COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Through education and support programs for those living with a lung disease, their caregivers and those that love them, the American Lung Association is continually working to reduce the burden of living with a lung disease.
More than 20 million people each year are helped by their programs and initiatives, and they support all Americans through education, advocacy and research.
Air pollution poses a serious threat to our nation's health by harming our lungs and increasing our risk of lung disease. The American Lung Association works to protect public health from unhealthy air pollution by supporting the Clean Air Act and pushing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to ensure that all Americans have air that is safe and healthy to breathe. This includes encouraging more protective limits on ozone and particle pollution, reducing power plant carbon emissions, and cleaner gasoline and vehicle standards.
The American Lung Association is the premier resource for any lung-related question from the common flu to lung cancer, pneumonia to smoking cessation help. Their national Lung HelpLine is staffed by registered nurses, respiratory therapists, certified tobacco treatment specialists and counselors.
Every year, close to half a million people in the U.S. die from tobacco-caused disease, including more than 41,000 from exposure to secondhand smoke. And this country is facing a youth vaping epidemic, causing lung injuries and death. Through the American Lung Association's Freedom From Smoking® program, they have helped over a million Americans on their quest to live smokefree lives.
Over the past 115 years, the American Lung Association has grown in size and reach. They have a staff of over 500 with hundreds of volunteers in communities both large and small across the entire U.S.
Throughout the 20th century, and now well into the 21st, the American Lung Association has remained steadfast in its mission of saving lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease.
For more information on how you can get involved, visit: https://www.lung.org/ or contact Ohio Executive Director Brittany Sinzinger (linkedin.com/in/brittanysinzinger).