Asthma Coalition of Long Island and Pronto Celebrate Asthma Awareness Month

HAUPPAUGE, NY (05/04/2010)(readMedia)-- WORLD ASTHMA DAY – In conjunction with Asthma Awareness Month, the Asthma Coalition of Long Island is holding a Free Family Asthma Education and Screening Evening at Pronto of Long Island, located at 128 Pine Aire Drive in Bay Shore on Thursday, May 13 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Dr. Michael Richheimer, sponsored by the American College of Asthma, Allergy & Immunology, will be screening families for asthma; and Dr. Juan Espinoza of Brentwood Pediatrics will be presenting an asthma education session. To register, please call Anne Little, (631) 265-3848 ext. 12.

The event is one of many events the Asthma Coalition of Long Island is hosting this month with the support of its partner and fiscal agent, the American Lung Association in New York. The organizations have joined with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to participate in Asthma Awareness Month to help raise public awareness of the risks faced every day by the more than 23 million Americans, including 7 million children, living with asthma.

"Our mission is to help every child achieve optimal control of their asthma, and to improve the quality of life for children, their families and the community," said Dr. Mary Cataletto, Pediatric Pulmonologist and Chair of the Asthma Coalition of Long Island.

"There are 230,000 people including 67,000 children living on Long Island who suffer from asthma," said Scott. T. Santarella, President & CEO of the American Lung Association in New York. "This education and screening event offers members of the community a chance to get screened for asthma and learn more about this chronic disease which is a leading cause of hospital emergency department visits and school absenteeism."

In New York State children missed 1.9 million days from school, pre-school and daycare last year as a result of their asthma, while adults with asthma missed more than 7.6 million days of work or usual activities.

For more information about the Free Family Asthma Education and Screening Evening or to learn more about the "Asthma Community Empowerment Education" sessions Pronto of Long Island holds each month, call Anne Little, (631) 265-3848, ext. 12.

The Asthma Coalition of Long Island is funded by a grant from the New York State Department of Health to the American Lung Association in New York. Visit us at www.asthmacoalitionoflongisland.org.

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