COPDF Partners in DRIVE4COPD Campaign; Daytona300 Kick-off Tomorrow
February 12, 2010
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Ifdy Perez, COPD Foundation
Email:
Tel: 1-866-731-2673, ext. 398
COPD Foundation Partners in Drive4COPD Campaign: Campaign Aims to Spread Awareness and Screen 1 Million for COPD
Daytona Beach, FL (February 12th, 2010)—The race for COPD begins tomorrow during the DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway, the day before the Daytona 500.
This is the first race of the NASCAR Nationwide Series season, and launches the DRIVE4COPD campaign, whose goal is to screen 1 million Americans for COPD in 2010.
The COPD Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation and founding partner of the national health campaign, is joining with Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. NASCAR and other organizations to spread awareness of COPD to find the millions of people who may be at risk for the disease but don’t know it.
DRIVE4COPD aspires to put the brakes on America’s fourth leading cause of death by helping people identify COPD symptoms and take action.
“The COPD Foundation is proud to be a partner in this campaign that’s spreading awareness about COPD all across the country,” President and founder of the COPD Foundation John W. Walsh, says. “This campaign is crucial to our mission of improving the quality of life for those with COPD.”
The DRIVE4COPD All-Star Race Team will then take a few laps around the DRIVE4COPD 300 track to kick off their drive across the United States to find the “missing millions” who may be at risk for COPD.
From February 13th to the 16th, the Race Team will hit 14 cities to raise awareness around DRIVE4COPD and have “Screen Teams” on the ground to administer a brief 5-question survey that helps identify if they may be at risk for COPD. The screener results are submitted and printed on a hand held so people can take their results to their doctors.
On February 14th, the cross-country tour hits Dallas, TX, Atlanta, GA, Charlotte, NC and Raleigh, NC. February 15th the tour stops in Las Vegas, NV, Nashville, TN, Pittsburgh, PA, Cleveland, OH and Washington DC. On their final day, February 16th, the tour ends in Los Angeles, CA, Chicago, IL, Detroit, MI and Boston, MA.
The public is encouraged to continue with the “Race For the Missing Millions” at risk for developing COPD by taking online screeners if they feel they might have symptoms or forwarding the information to loved ones that have symptoms.
To find out more about DRIVE4COPD, visit the campaign’s Web site at DRIVE4COPD.com or the COPD Foundation’s website at http://www.copdfoundation.org
About the COPD Foundation<
The COPD Foundation is dedicated to developing and supporting programs which improve the quality of life through research, education, early diagnosis, and enhanced therapy for persons whose lives are impacted by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The COPD Foundation has several programs dedicated to informing, empowering, educating, and engaging individuals affected by COPD, including both diagnosed and undiagnosed individuals, their families and friends, and their medical professionals. For more information, please visit: http://www.copdfoundation.org.
About COPD
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. and the only chronic disease growing in mortality. It affects approximately 24 million Americans but only 12 million are diagnosed. COPD includes chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and adult onset (refractory) asthma. Symptoms include breathlessness, wheezing, and chronic coughing. For more information about COPD, visit http://www.copdfoundation.org or call 1-866-316-COPD (2673).