450 WALKERS GATHER AND RAISE OVER $100,000 AT ANNUAL "FIGHT FOR AIR" WALK

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LOUISVILLE KY (06/07/2014)(readMedia)-- The American Lung Association's annual Fight for Air Walk saw a great turnout, with over 450 participants filling Iroquois Park.

Representatives of the American Lung Association and Kindred Healthcare, the Walk's presenting sponsor, addressed the crowd before the walkers set out on the route. The event also achieved strong fundraising results, which benefits the American Lung Association's efforts in education, research and advocacy. The total, which continues to climb currently sits at $100,000. Now in its second century, the American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease.

The corporate community continued to show its strong support for the event through team fundraising and corporate sponsorship. The American Lung Association appreciates the support of its sponsors of this year's Walk: Kindred Healthcare (Presenting), RecoverCare, UK Healthcare, Humana CareSource, Louisville Cyberknife, Genentech, Family Allergy and Asthma, WAVE3 and 97.5 WAMZ.

"I support the American Lung Association becaus,e as a pharmacist, one of the most agonizing situations that I have ever dealt with is in a pharmacy a mother dealing with a new diagnosis on their infant child and going through the process of helping the parents understand that it is a treatable condition" said James Poullard, Vice President of Pharmacy at Kindred Healthcare. "I want to do anything I can to contribute to lung disease and air quality to prevent as many people as I possibly can of dealing with that anxiety associated with their children having to deal with asthma. This is my way of giving back."

Laura Ledford, member of the top fundraising team in the family division had this to say, "The Walk is a very emotional time for me. We walk in honor of my son Christopher that passed away at just 9 years old from an asthma attack. We walk in his honor with the team name Christopher's Army. We want to raise money for research so that better treatment options are available and no family has to lose a loved one to asthma or any other lung disease."

Sol Perry walks in honor of his mother, a Lung Cancer survivor. "She is my inspiration. Participating in the American Lung Association Walk is our way of showing her support. It is our way of letting her know she isn't alone in her personal fight for air."

Since its inception, the American Lung Association's annual Walk in Louisville has raised over $1 million for the fight against lung disease. Kentucky leads the nation in lung disease statistics. The community made it very clear today that they will continue Fighting For Air!

Those interested in donating to the 2014 Fight for Air Walk can do so all throughout the month of June by visiting www.ffawalklouisville.org. Donations can be made to a person, a team or to the event as a whole.

For more information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or visit www.kylung.org.