08/18/2009

Caller concerned about her grandson's pneumonia due to exposure from second hand smoke by family members

I've worked at ALAH for about four years in the Admin Dept. and received a call the other week from a woman who wanted more information about lung diseases for her one year old grandson. She mentioned that he recently had pneumonia and was rushed to the hospital. She never really understood why he would be sick until she realized six members (including the child's parents) were cigarette smokers and would smoke around him not thinking it was because of the smoke. Of course now they realize since her grandson became ill not to smoke around him which prompted her to want more information about helping her family members quit smoking.

Upon obtaining more information from her, I mailed six Quit Kits which have smoking cessation information, services, and incentives in a bag. The first step is wanting and getting information to quit smoking, the rest is up to the person smoking on how they can empower themselves to quit smoking and live a healthier lifestyle. No one should wait till they're sick to realize that cigarettes and smoking are bad for your health. The Surgeon General even states it on each pack of cigarettes.

If you, someone you love or know is a smoker and want to quit smoking, call American Lung Association in Hawaii for a Quit Kit today (808) 537-5966.

Posted By: on 08/18/2009 at 12:31 pm with 0 Comments
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09/11/2008

Why We Will Ride - A Survivor's Story

Email from Anne Laporte Thursday, September 11, 2008

"The Breathe Ride" Hawaii.

Jump on your bike and raise money for Lung Disease so you can help people like Lisa below in their courageous fight to live.

Why We Will Ride... A Survivor's Story

Carlinsky2 At 34 years old, Lisa Carlinsky had a lot on her plate. Her little boy, Matthew, had just turned two and she was 15 weeks pregnant with her second child. In 2006, prior to entering her second trimester, Lisa began to have severe migraine headaches and involuntary vomiting. Since she was pregnant her medical team was hesitant to perform any procedures. However after her third trip to the ER for dehydration, they changed their decision and performed a CT scan and a brain MRI.

The results were unimaginable. Lisa, a non-smoker, was diagnosed with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer that had spread to her bones and created a crown of spots around her brain. As a result of the aggressive treatment plan, Lisa and Mark not only were facing months of chemotherapy and radiation, but the loss of the child she was carrying.

Over the last two years, Lisa has had three reoccurrences, one to her lung (Sept. 2007), spine (May 2008) and most recently 10 spots in various parts of her body as well as in her brain (August 2008). Each reoccurrence has and continues to be met with surgery, radiation, and/or chemotherapy and a resilient attitude. Lisa will most likely be in treatment for the rest of her life.

"I am refusing to die. I have kept that focus from the day I was diagnosed. There are too many things I am supposed to do."

Every dollar that you raise for American Lung Association of Hawaii supports research into the detection, treatment, and cure of lung cancer. We fight so that people like Lisa Carlinsky won't have to. Together, we will cure lung cancer.

Thank you for your support!

Anne Laporte, RN

Posted By: Roxanne Jaudon on 09/11/2008 at 7:33 pm with 0 Comments
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07/30/2008

Lung Cancer - 7/30/08 Email via Anne LaPorte, RN to ALA of Hawaii

I've lived in Hawaii for the past twenty years. Over the last three years, I developed Asthma. I was shocked at this diagnosis since I have never smoked, have no allergies and have lived an active, healthy lifestyle my entire life. I'm working closely with my pulmonologist to find the right combination of medication that will allow me to maintain my active lifestyle. As a nurse, mother and avid runner and cyclist, I am motivated to find a cure. I also can't help but wonder if my years of running and cycling behind cars or by breathing in the smoke from the Mokuleia Cane fields could have contributed to my development of asthma. I don't know because there is not enough research being done to find the exact causes of asthma. During this period, my father, also a non-smoker, was diagnosed and recently died of Lung Cancer. He was active and healthy throughout his life. He died eight short weeks after his diagnosis.

My own diagnosis and the loss of my father three months ago has changed my life forever. Breathing is something we all take for granted until you experience the anxiety and fear of not being able to breath. Then you will never take it for granted again. My father died in our arms gasping for his last breath despite having excellent medical care and the support of a wonderful team of Hospice professionals. I"ve cared for many lung cancer patients throughout my nursing career and saw little change or improvement in the options available today as compared to twenty years ago. That is not the case with other cancers like prostate or breast where a great deal of progress has been made. More woman die of lung cancer each year than breast cancer yet when surveying a small group of my friends they all stated breast cancer as the number one killer. I encourage people to go to the Lungevity Website and read the fact sheet on Lung Cancer. Most people are shocked about what they learn. (http://www.lungevity.org)/

Lung Cancer kills the majority of people diagnosed with it so quickly there are few survivors left to advocate for this Illness. It lags behind all other cancers in funding despite being the number one cancer killer in the nation and in our state. The stigma of smoking has resulted in severe under funding of lung cancer and lung disease research. We know smoking is one significant risk factor but what about the other risk factors such as environmental, genetic, and viral causes. We need to eliminate the stigma's associated with Lung Cancer and Lung Disease and focus on finding a cure. Look at the strides made in the research and treatment for AIDS once we eliminated the blame. Smoking impacts every aspect of our health, not just our lung health. We don't limit heart disease research because people smoke so lets not limit lung disease research. LETS FIND A CURE FOR LUNG CANCER AND FIGHT THE SMOKING EPIDEMIC.

I will be running the Marine Core Marathon and the Honolulu Marathon on behalf of my father's memory. We have put together a Lungevity marathon team to raise money for Lung Cancer Reaearch. We have reached 25% of our goal and hope to reach our $20,000 goal by October 25th. Many friends here in Hawaii who have experienced Lung Cancer in there families have made generous contributions. I hope people read my story and learn more about lung cancer and lung disease. I hope people sign up for the Breathe Ride here in Hawaii or support someone who is doing it. November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, I hope the Advertiser will highlight this deadly illness and educate people about Lung Cancer, the number one Cancer Killer in Hawaii and in the Nation.

ALOHA AND PRAYERS FOR ALL FAMILIES COPING WITH LUNG CANCER AND LUNG DISEASE.

Anne LaPorte RN

Posted By: Roxanne Jaudon on 07/30/2008 at 7:09 pm with 2 Comments
Last Comment on: 8/18/2009 12:23:23 PM

05/20/2008

Obstructed View

In all the time I've lived in Hawaii - about 15 years now - I can't remember feeling the impact of the vog as much as I've felt it this year. For days at a stretch from February onward, my chest has felt hollow and hurt, breathing and regular activities have often been plain difficult. My lungs think we're back in Los Angeles.

At ALA of Hawaii, we've received calls and emails from people asking what they can do to cope with the vog, whether they should visit Hawaii or delay their plans and we even had a caller ask if they should sell their Big Island home!

Of course, the helpful coping tips are the only answers we can give. But this got me thinking. In the many shows I've done in my other life as the host and producer of Town Square at Hawaii Public Radio, we've often explored global climate change, its impact on Hawaii, how we as a state can create alternative energy and, too, how we as individuals and families can diminish our carbon footprints and learn to live more interdependently.

Only recently has another topic cropped up in the discussion: what if the beautiful air most of us associate with Hawaii really is changing? What if more and protracted vog days, maybe weeks, per year are in our future?

One caller, a man who has been here for over 30 years, told me he and his family will seriously reevaluate if they will stay in Hawaii should extended vog days become more the rule than the exception. "Clear skies and clean air are the biggest reasons we stayed," he said. While economists and visitor industry leaders ponder whether there will be any lasting marketing, public relations and financial repercussions on tourism, I wonder how many more of us, even if we don't leave, will change how we view "our" Hawaii. Will you?

Posted By: Beth-Ann Kozlovich on 05/20/2008 at 12:45 pm with 3 Comments
Last Comment on: 6/18/2008 3:15:33 AM

05/14/2008

ALAH Launches New Blog!

Posted By: Roxanne Jaudon on 05/14/2008 at 6:00 pm with 1 Comment
Last Comment on: 5/21/2008 10:31:32 AM