I am joining thousands of other cyclists and runners for the American Lung Association’s annual Clean Air Challenge. This event is to raise money to fight lung disease and increase awareness about the importance of lung health.
I hadn’t given much thought to lung health other than small donations here and there and overall feelings of sympathy for those that have suffered with lung disease. Things changed when Venice was hospitalized for 5 long days before her fourth birthday. She was hit hard with RSV and required oxygen. Watching our little girl struggle to breathe was heartbreaking. Suddenly, we were researching everything about the virus, meeting her care team, and even seeing a pulmonologist. Our healthy, athletic girl was sick! We learned even when she was able to come home, she was not 100%. She needed weeks to fully recover and not one but two inhalers! We would also need to keep the inhalers for future use any time she were to get sick to prevent lung damage. After this experience, when I think of lung health, I not only think of the elderly or immune compromised; I think of little ones, like our sweet Venice, happily playing one day then having to stay in the hospital on oxygen the next.
Lung disease can take someone's breath away, leaving them unable to work, exercise or play. Growing faster than almost any other major illness, lung disease, including lung cancer, asthma and emphysema is the third leading cause of the death in the United States.
Please join me in my efforts to make a difference by making a personal or corporate tax-deductible donation.
Thank you in advance for your support!