Every teacher and coach has students who’ve been diagnosed with asthma in their classroom or gymnasium, but many don’t know that asthma is a serious, potentially life-threatening condition. Understandably, students with asthma often resist activities they think will make it hard for them to breathe Read the rest of this entry »

Media stories abound about brain development and why teens are prone to risky and self-absorbed behavior, but the truth is that many young people today are accomplishing great things and thinking great thoughts! Read the rest of this entry »

Attention moms-to-be and nursing moms: U.S. Representatives Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT) and Michael C. Burgess, MD (R-TX) recently introduced legislation to provide accurate, evidence-based information about medications and their relation to birth defects and health risks to breastfed babies. Read the rest of this entry »

Recent news reports have presented patients with conflicting and confusing information about EpiPen Auto-Injector and a so-called generic version. These articles contain information that is inaccurate, inflammatory and, in some instances, dangerous. Read the rest of this entry »

“With today’s news, we are able to reassure patients of the safety of these medications when used according to newly clarified label instructions Read the rest of this entry »

AANMA volunteer Serena Lowe gets her  inspiration from her daughter, Bella

It’s a small world — AANMA volunteer Serena Lowe had been visiting Congressional offices all morning, talking with healthcare aides and rallying support for AANMA’s 13^th annual Asthma Awareness Day Capitol Hill May 5. The aide at one of her office stops looked familiar.

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By Chef Michelle Austin

Name three ways that people with asthma or food allergies risk bone disease. Can you do it?

Sure. This is a food column written by a chef. So naturally, it figures that the first answer is diet. When it comes to building strong bones and healthy bodies, one thing we all need is calcium. The best dietary sources Read the rest of this entry »

A look at how and why to use nasal sprays

Nasal asthma. Ever heard of it? Probably not, because I just made it up. Before you thumb your nose at the idea, consider that the nose and lower airways are all part of the respiratory pathway and share similar immune responses to allergens, irritants and viruses. And while it is possible to have one condition without the other, for many of us, nasal symptoms (rhinitis) usually herald the onset of asthma symptoms to come.

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U.S. Congresswoman — and mom — Carol Shea-Porter takes on asthma

U.S. Representative Carol Shea-Porter went home to New Hampshire for Mother’s Day. It was 2007 and she was fresh off her first session in the House of Representatives. Her husband and children had not moved to Washington with her, staying in the family home while her son finished high school. Read the rest of this entry »

Draft continues his work with AANMA to transform asthma care in the U.S.

FAIRFAX, VA, MAY 11, 2010 – Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA), the  nation’s only family-founded patient education nonprofit organization for people with asthma, allergies and related conditions, congratulates NFL linebacker Chris Draft on his recent signing to the Washington Redskins and welcomes him to the nation’s capital.

Draft partnered with AANMA this month to launch the Great American Asthma Challenge – the first-ever national grassroots movement to end asthma deaths and suffering in the United States. A dedicated community activist as well as accomplished athlete, Draft helped kick off the program at AANMA’s 13^th annual Asthma Awareness Day Capitol Hill on May 5.

“Chris Draft brings authenticity and conviction to his off-the-field work for families and people with asthma,” said Nancy Sander, AANMA founder and president. “Now that he’ll be right in our back yard, we look forward to more opportunities to work with him on our mission to end asthma deaths and suffering in the U.S.”

The proactive approach of the Great American Asthma Challenge is a way of life for Draft, founder of The Chris Draft Family Foundation and The Asthma Team™. Draft was diagnosed with asthma while attending Stanford and playing for the university’s football team. Today he motivates children and adults with asthma to take charge of their health through his foundation. In his keynote speech at Asthma Awareness Day Capitol Hill he spoke about the importance of a team effort – among patients, their families, healthcare providers, lawmakers and the community – to tackle asthma.

The Great American Asthma Challenge
Every day 10 people die from asthma. Most healthcare providers agree that these deaths are preventable. Patient education, access to care and a healthy lifestyle are proven methods that lead to less severe asthma symptoms, fewer hospitalizations and emergency department visits, fewer missed days of school and work – and fewer deaths.

The Great American Asthma Challenge is a self-paced program through which participants weave tried-and-true resources and health guidance supported by the NIH Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Asthma into their daily lives, connecting with a network of others working toward the goal of ending asthma deaths and suffering in the U.S.

Participants log into a new interactive website, take a quick survey to establish a baseline and set goals, then they’re off to complete Challenge activities targeted for three levels of users: families, healthcare providers and legislators. Throughout the Challenge, participants see survey results and share feedback. At the end of the Challenge, users take a survey to measure their progress. For more details and to take the Challenge today, go to www.GreatAmericanAsthmaChallenge.org.

About the Chris Draft Family Foundation

The mission of the Chris Draft Family Foundation is to strengthen communities by empowering families to live healthy lifestyles. The Foundation focuses on seven primary initiatives with overarching themes that stress the importance of education, healthy lifestyles, character development, personal responsibility, self-discipline and physical fitness. For more information, please visit www.chrisdraftfamilyfoundation.org.

About AANMA
Founded in 1985, Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics is the leading national nonprofit family organization dedicated to eliminating death and suffering due to asthma, allergies and related conditions. AANMA’s core areas of expertise are education, advocacy and outreach. The organization’s www.aanma.org website and award-winning publications, Allergy & Asthma Today magazine and The MA Report online newsletter, are consumer lifelines to medical news and healthy living.

For more information, call 800.878.4403 or visit www.aanma.org. You can also follow AANMA on Twitter and Facebook and on the Take A Weekly Breather blog. Take the Great American Asthma Challenge today: www.GreatAmericanAsthmaChallenge.org.

Contact: Christie Chapman
703-851-4372
editor@aanma.org