Inventing a Future Free from Lung Disease

AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION

PRESIDENT’S RESEARCH REPORT
Why is Lung Disease Research Vital?

• Last year, nearly 221,000 new cases of lung cancer were diagnosed

• Sixty percent of people diagnosed with lung cancer die within one year of diagnosis

• COPD is the third leading cause of death in America

• Asthma affects more than 7.1 million children under 18

• More than 46 million adults in the U.S. smoke

• There are 443,000 tobacco-related deaths in America each year, including those related to secondhand smoke

Inventing a Future Free from Lung Disease
Charles D. Connor, President and CEOI’m pleased to announce the 2012 President’s Research Report, which reveals some of the groundbreaking research being done to help meet the American Lung Association’s vision of a world free from lung disease.

Thanks to your generosity, last year the American Lung Association was able to provide $5 million in funding for lung disease research. These research efforts support the inventive and inquisitive medical minds striving for a world in which lung cancer doesn’t cut lives short, where COPD doesn’t rob millions of breath and asthma attacks are no longer feared by more than seven million children.

I invite you to learn more about our passionate and dedicated researchers and the pioneering work that you’re supporting. Research by our highly successful American Lung Association Asthma Clinical Research Centers Network (ACRC), recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that prescription acid controllers were ineffective in managing asthma in children without symptoms of acid reflux, mirroring findings from an earlier study among adults. The significance of this discovery is tremendous; many physicians prescribe these acid controllers to patients who have no reflux symptoms intending to reduce their asthma symptoms. Approximately 1.5 million asthma patients will be able to discontinue this form of treatment, resulting in a potential savings in health care expenses of at least $1.1 billion dollars each year. Read the full story on our website.

This and other kinds of research are critical to our comprehensive approach to lung health. The 2012 President’s Research Report focuses on current ACRC studies as well as those being funded through our Awards and Grants Program.

We invite you to view the full President’s Research Report on our websiteand we remind you that these researchers can’t do this work alone. Our continued quest for treatments and cures requires ongoing and consistent funding. Please consider making a gift today to ensure our continued fight for healthy lungs and healthy air is armed with current and relevant research.

Sincerely,

Charles D. Connor, President and CEO
Charles D. Connor
President and CEO
American Lung Association

Questions About Lung Health?

Our experts are here to help! Our Lung HelpLine is a toll-free resource for patients and caregivers. Speak with qualified professionals on lung health related topics, including lung cancer, asthma, COPD and quitting smoking. Call 1-800-586-4872 Monday–Friday from 7 a.m.–11 p.m. TTY service is available at 1-800-501-1068.

Better Business Bureau © 2011 American Lung Association   About Us | Privacy Policy | Contact Us 4 Star Charity Navigator Rating

 

This entry was posted in Articles. Bookmark the permalink.

216 Responses to Inventing a Future Free from Lung Disease