A Sunset Of Beauty & Peace, A Life of Breathing & Strength
Shine in your little corner of the world – You can make a difference! COPD Awareness – November 2006 by Lori Palermo
Anyone can help promote COPD Awareness. Research, learn and plan an event in your hometown. I did… and here is my story.
Seeing a loved one suffer from a disease in which you have no insight or knowledge of how to help them, is one of the most disturbing and helpless feelings in the world. I go through daily bouts of regret and sadness that I did not research and learn more about COPD when my dad was alive; so that as father and daughter, we could have worked together to help better his "Quality of Life".
Therefore, following the death of my dad on 26 December 2003 due to a 13 year battle with COPD/Emphysema, I have become an Advocate for Lung Disease Awareness and Smokefree Living.
November 2001 was established as National COPD Awareness Month by President George W. Bush through a Presidential Proclamation. This provided a strong motivation for organizations to come together in the US COPD Coalition and raise research and understanding of this "forgotten disease". The Coalition is working to encourage the designation of November as National COPD Awareness Month each year, and plans to assist Coalition Partners in their activities on behalf of National COPD Awareness Month.
The first World COPD Day was held in November 2002. World COPD Day observed on the 3rd Wednesday in November, is an annual event organized by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease to improve awareness and care of (COPD) around the world. Each year organizers in more than 50 countries carry out activities, making the day one of the world’s most important COPD awareness and educational events.
I began my advocacy for COPD Awareness in November 2005, researching and planning my own awareness events.This year, in holding my 2nd annual COPD Awareness Fairs I received a very good response at each of the locations in which they were held. I felt very confident about my fairs and was excited about the displays, materials and giveaways that I had.
This was the first year in which I presented educational displays specific to COPD and Smoking. These displays were donated by Tony Delonti and Donna Reifler from the American Lung Association of Northeastern, Pennsylvania. I found that having the displays played an important role in the awareness fairs as many people were drawn to my table with curiosity and interest. I also contacted health organizations which are observed in November, requesting information to display at my fair and specific websites that I am in contact with on a daily basis sent me information bringing awareness to their particular niche in the world of lung disease.
It takes planning and good organization to set up an Awareness Fair. I personally enjoy every minute I spend preparing my event. No matter if you are hosting an event on your own or with an organization, or if you touch the life of one person or ten people, it is an awesome and rewarding experience to know YOU are out there in the public eye making a difference and bringing awareness to this debilitating disease…Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
Basically you begin with contacting the locations for your events, and setting up the dates and times. Next is to promote your Awareness Event through the media. This is not always an easy task depending on their cooperation and how much interest they have in the topic of your event. I suggest contacting your local newspaper, TV and radio stations, doctor’s offices and hospitals in your area; by phone, e-mail, snail mail or possibly in person handing out flyers.This may take persistence on your part to be sure your event is being publicized, but it is a very important factor! This is the one area that I need to work much harder on for my events in November 2007.
I held three COPD Awareness Fairs; Nov. 4th -The Mall At Steamtown, Scranton, PA., Nov.11th - The Viewmont Mall, Scranton, PA and Nov. 19th – Bill’s Shuresave Supermarket, Daleville, PA. On Nov. 15th, World COPD Day I distributed Gold Ribbon Pins & Magnets to co-workers, businesses and friends in my community.
Each awareness fair consisted of educational displays such as: a 4-fold chart explaining the effects, hazards and diverse aspects of smoking, a picture/explanation flip-chart describing the effect cancers have on your body, under the umbrella term COPD a Chronic Bronchitis & Emphysema poster showing the respiratory system and how these diseases damage your lungs. Two very rousing displays for our continuing smokers, was a jar filled with the tar residue taken from a woman who smoked one pack of cigarettes for a year, the other display were two sets of actual pig lungs; one healthy set of lungs and one diseased set which showed the definite signs of Emphysema and Lung Cancer.
Free Informational brochures available consisted of: COPD/Emphysema & Chronic Bronchitis, Lung Cancer, Asthma & Allergies, Radon Testing, Smokefree Living (life before, during and after), Raising Kids Who Don’t Smoke, Caregivers Support, and The Optimal Breathing School.
Giveaways in which I either designed myself or purchased were also a great conversation piece in bringing interest to my table.
Pencils engraved with COPD " BREATHLESS NOT HELPLESS".
Brightly colored pinwheels with tags bringing Awareness to November as COPD Month and World COPD Day.
Gold Ribbon pins & magnets. The Gold Ribbon is a symbol of COPD Awareness, which is to be worn on World COPD Day
www.goldcopd.com. I created the Gold Ribbon with my own design by placing a pastel colored star on the ribbon. The symbol of the star: All COPD patients are truly our shining stars and our inspiration as they struggle and cope with this debilitating disease day after day. Also, for our loved ones who have passed on due to COPD they are our brilliant stars shining down from heaven giving us the motivation and strength to research and find a cure for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
Sunflower Giant Gray Striped seed packets. I picked the Sunflower because it is one of my favorite flowers. A brilliant golden flower standing tall with its face to sun. On the back of the packet, I had printed: "May the golden rays of the sunflower bring you Joy & Strength as you "Breathe for Life" COPD Awareness November".
Each year is a new adventure, discovering more of what people are interested in learning about. I then take this information and apply it to my Awareness Fairs for the following year. The following are comments and ideas that I received:
A gentleman had no interest in signing the Pennsylvania Clean Air Act cards from the American Lung Association to ban smoking in public places. He felt that smokers should not have their rights taken away from them to light up in public places.
A young girl very worried about both her parents and trying to persuade them to quit smoking.
A security guard spoke of the "quit smoking aid" Commit. He said it has worked very well for him.
Two women came to my table commenting "this is a beautiful thing you are doing."
A family spoke about their husband/father who at 54 years old has Emphysema, but is not cooperative in attempting to learn more about COPD to help his "quality of life". Also, their daughter visited The Breathing Room in Denver, CO. and their son made his visit in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Many people were very happy to sign the Pennsylvania Clean Air Act cards from the ALA.
A very good response from children and adults as they used the pump to see the comparison in breathing with a diseased lung versus a healthy lung. ( Pig Lung Display)
I was questioned about White Bracelets for Lung Cancer. I have not seen them. But will check into them.
Several nurses stopped by from hospitals and nursing homes. It was amazing how many patients they have with COPD/Emphysema. One nurse explained how an x-ray can show the signs of COPD. And also described "sounds of the lungs".
A school teacher has several students in middle school that she is trying to help quit smoking. She was very thankful for the Philip Morris – Raising Kids Who Don’t Smoke brochures.
A family stopped by looking for brochures on "smokeless tobacco". I did not have any information on this topic with me, but asked them to keep a check on my website and I would have an article written on the dangers of "smokeless tobacco". That article is now posted on my website.
Jerry Maglio a District Manager for Pfizer Inc. donated brochures on the "quit smoking aid" Chantix. We are now in the process of combining our talents to help promote his product on my website.
Many people stopped and talked to me about wanting to "kick the habit". They requested information on "quit smoking aids", steps on how to quit, how your body changes when you quit. Basically general overall information about the "Big Quit". I will have this information for my events next year.
Lastly I learned that making up packets of information would be very beneficial. There are people who do not own computers so having plenty of material printed out will be helpful and courteous to all.
A packet with information about "Freedom From Smoking", from quit aids to body changes.
A packet with information about "Living with COPD" and COPD Awareness Month, along with a brochure from each of the sponsors that sent me information to promote their website and a special giveaway!
I feel that I accomplished my goal again by bringing Awareness to COPD in my area. I noticed in speaking to the public there was more knowledge about COPD this year, than there was last year. That was a very good sign! More people are starting to recognize what this disease is and what causes it. I believe they are beginning to do something about it… they are trying to live a "Smokefree Life".
A few months ago I was at a party when a friend of mine Daurice, said she had a story to tell me. She went on to say that a woman whom she works with came in one day wearing a Gold Ribbon on her blouse. When Daurice questioned the woman about the ribbon, she told her she had been at the local mall and stopped at a "very interesting" Awareness Fair for COPD. Daurice mentioned my name and the woman said... "Oh yes that was her!". To say the least, I was thrilled to hear the story. My awareness fair was remembered! As you stand at your table giving out brochures, gold ribbons, pencils and showing diseased Pig Lungs… you want to believe that youaremaking adifference in someone’s life. I reflect back to my COPD Awareness Fairs, and ask myself… "did I help a patient, a family member or caregiver learn more about COPD and how to cope with this disease?… did I help someone take that final step to quit smoking?" And then I say… YES… someone out there has learned more about COPD and there IS an individual who is now living a "smokefree" life, because I took that chance and attempted to make a difference.
I have realized that you have to believe in yourself… don’t ever doubt what is important in your own heart. When it’s something you believe in from deep within your soul… go for it… take a chance… I did!
"To broaden my knowledge about COPD/Emphysema, to bring awareness of this debilitating disease and to share my knowledge with patients, family, caregivers, the public and the media is a mission that I have set for this website and with my day to day activities." www.loveyourlungsbreatheforlife.com