American Lung Association of the Central States

We are a voluntary health organization working to fight lung disease and promote lung health. Our vision is a world without lung disease.

Description:
The American Lung Association and its chartered associations around the country work in multiple ways to accomplish our mission.
Local lung health education programs are the backbone of our programs. Our emphasis is on asthma education and tobacco control.
Research is a second of our main emphases. In addition to a $30-million+ commitment to asthma research, we fund new investigators who are starting their careers in lung research.
Advocacy is the third area of emphasis. Everyone is affected by the air we breathe, so any local, state or national issue that affects clean air is important to us. We also advocate for patients, e.g. urging the passage of a Texas law to allow children with asthma to carry their inhalers with them at school.

History:
With it's beginning in 1904, the ALA is the oldest national voluntary health agency in the country. We started fighting tuberculosis, which at the time was the number-one killer. Through years of community health service and a commitment to research, an effective treatment was found in the 1950s.
That coincided with the dramatic rise in early deaths and disability due to increased cigarette smoking. The ALA preceded the US Surgeon General in declaring smoking to be hazardous to your health. Through the decades we have partnered with other organizations and made a significant impact on the rates if smoking and on protecting non-smokers from the dangers of second-hand smoke.
In the last fifteen years, we have had a significant emphasis on asthma. We are working locally and throughout the country in collaboration with others in asthma care to ensure that patients are educated about the management of this chronic, and sometimes life-threatening, disease.
Look for our future to include a significant emphasis on clean air - what you as an individual can do.

Contact people:

Beth Poffenberger, Volunteer Coordinator, (512) 467-6753 ext.42, (email) Kori Hattemer, Program Coordinator, (512) 467-6753 ext. 41, (email) Laura Chapman, Program Director, (512) 467-6753 ext 28, (email)

Office fax number: (512) 467-7621

Address:

5926 Balcones Drive, Suite 100 Austin, TX 78731 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.breathehealthy.org

Directions:

From the intersection of MoPac and RR 2222/Northland Drive, Balcones Drive is the first street west. At the light, turn north and proceed approximately one mile north to 5926. It is on the left - the next-to-last of. . . (more)   Nearest Bus Stop: Balcones Drive & RR 2222, 5 minute walk For maps or information, please see http://www.capmetro.org/riding/trip_info.asp

Last updated on September 2, 2009