Hawaii COPD Coalition


Home COPD Resources About Us Events Partners Contact information
Welcome to the Hawaii COPD Coalition homepage! Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, "COPD," is a serious lung disease that makes breathing difficult. It is most often characterized by shortness of breath and a persistent cough. It includes both emphysema and chronic bronchitis. It is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States and second leading cause of disability. Over 30,000 Hawaii adults have already been diagnosed with COPD. Those over the age of 40 with a history of smoking are particularly at risk, however 1 in 6 people with COPD have never smoked. The best treatment for COPD is to stop smoking and avoid exposure to all lung irritants, including any form of smoke. This site will share resources available on COPD. Browse around and visit often as we will be regularly adding to and updating our website. Your thoughts and comments are welcome! COPD Education Day 2010: International Year of the Lung In conjunction with Queen's Medical center, the Hawaii COPD Coalition is excited to announce that the fourth annual COPD Education Day 2010 will be held on Saturday, Spetember 11, 2010 at the Queen's Conference Center! The COPD Education Day is FREE and open to the public with speakers, lung function testing, inhaler and nebulizer demonstrations, smoking cessation tools, respiratory magazines and handouts, drawings, refreshments and MORE! Last year's COPD Education Day was a great success, bringing together patients, caregivers, respiratory therapy students, healthcare professionals, exhibitors, volunteers and interested members of the public, we anticipate an ever bigger turnout for this year. This year's COPD Education Day will focus on COPD awareness in conjunction with the international year of the lung, featuring keynote addresses by pulmonologist Dr. Roger Yim and by pulminary specialist Dr. Christine Fukui. For more information please download a registration brochure. Please download a registration form HERE to register. Space is and handicapped parking is limited, so please reserve your FREE space now! Late and walk-in registration will be available as space permits. Register by Wednesday, September 1, 2010! Additional promotional brochures may be downloaded HERE. Fall Newsletter The Summer Hawaii COPD Newsletter is out, get it HERE. Thank you all for for making last year's COPD Educaiton Day a great success! Project SUCCESS - Free Lung Testing Clinics Summer 2010 The Hawaii COPD Coalition is pleased to announce the renewal Project SUCCESS in partnership with Longs Drugs to run a series of FREE lung testing clinics. Trained clinicians will provide free lung function spirometry tests and answer your questions about lung health and COPD. Priority will be given to smokers and people suffering from cronic coughing or breathing problems. Clinics will be held at local Longs locations from 10am - 1pm. Please click here to download a printable flier with clinic times and locations. 2010 Clinic Times and Locations All clinics held between 10am - 1pm Sat., June 26 Times Beretania—1290 S. Beretania St., Honolulu 96814 Sat., July 10 Times Royal Kunia—94-615 Kupuohi Street, Waipahu, 96797 Sun., July 18 Times Koolau—47-388 Hui Iwa Street, Kaneohe, 96744 Sat., July 24 Times Liliha—1425 Liliha Street, Honolulu, 96817 Sat., Aug 21 Times Aiea—99-115 Aiea Heights Dr., Aiea 96701 Sat., Aug 28 Times McCully—1772 King Street, Honolulu 96826 Department of Health Releases COPD BURDEN REPORT HONOLULU, HI -The Hawai‘i Department of Health Chronic Disease Management and Control Branch, and the Hawai‘i Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Coalition, have collaborated to produce the Burden of COPD in Hawai‘i Report 2010, examining the extent of COPD in our state. COPD is a chronic, systemic disease which includes emphysema, chronic bronchitis and chronic asthma. It is the fourth leading killer in the United States and second leading cause of disability. Chronic lower respiratory diseases are the 5th leading cause of death in Hawaii. “The Department of Health recognizes the importance of gathering data to assess the extent of the problem of COPD in our state, since COPD and other lung diseases are a leading cause of death and disability,” said Director Chiyome Fukino, M.D. “We also know it is essential to collaborate with the Hawaii COPD Coalition and other partners to increase the awareness, treatment and prevention of COPD and other lung diseases, since these are significant public health issues.” It is estimated that 75-80% of COPD cases are caused by smoking in the U.S. Among adults who reported COPD in Hawaii in 2008, more than 70% were current smokers or former smokers. Dr. Fukino strongly encourages smokers who have COPD to stop smoking. According to the Tobacco Prevention and Education Program at the Department of Health, there are a variety of options for people to quit smoking, including the Hawaii Tobacco Quitline (1-800-QUITNOW) (1-800-784-8669) www.CallitQuitsHawaii.org, or through other community cessation services: www.hawaiiquitnow.org. “The Hawaii COPD Coalition offers free lung health testing clinics throughout the state as well as monthly support group meetings and an annual education day,” said COPD Coalition Coordinator Valerie Chang, JD. For more information visit: www.hawaiicopd.org. In recognition of 2010 International Year of the Lung, Governor Linda Lingle and Lt. Governor James R. “Duke” Aiona, Jr. recently signed a proclamation, in conjunction with the Hawaii COPD Coalition. The State of Hawai‘i joins hundreds of collaborating organizations to focus global attention on lung diseases as a common cause of disability and death in all populations and age groups worldwide. Copies of this report are available HERE Hawaii COPD Coalition in the news! The Hawaii COPD Coalition and its founder were featured in two recent national publications, Everything Respiratory and the American Thoracic Society Public Advisory News. Click on the links above to view the articles. Reproduced in part with permission. Year of the Lung 2010 has been declared Year of the Lung by hundreds of collaborating organizations to focus global attention on lung diseases as a common cause of morbidity and mortality in all populations and age groups worldwide. Worldwide, 19% of total deaths and 15% of disability-adjusted life years are due to lung disease. The Year of the Lung initiative is being organized by the Forum of International Respiratory Societies, which includes key professional respiratory societies across the globe, including the American Thoracic Society (ATS--a major international and interdisciplinary professional and scientific society focusing on lung disease, critical illness and sleep disorders). The Hawaii Department of Health has started collecting data about COPD since 2007. Hawaii statewide health surveys in 2007 and 2008 have 30,794 to 37,381 Hawaii adults report being diagnosed with COPD. In addition, in 2005 total emergency room COPD visits in Hawaii increased 54.8% from a total of 1,263 visits in 2000 to 1,956 in 2005. It is estimated that there are another two to three times as many people who have COPD without knowing it. Since its formation in 2007, the Hawaii COPD Coalition has been a partner the American Thoracic Society, in its Public Advisory Roundtable (which serves as a bridge between ATS and patient organizations and researchers). In celebration of 2010 International Year of the Lung, the Hawaii Department of Health Healthy Hawaii Initiative, Chronic Disease Division and Hawaii COPD Coalition have collaborated in producing the “Burden of COPD in Hawaii Report 2010,” examining some of the costs of COPD to our state. It is hoped that this report will provide a helpful benchmark for programs and policy regarding COPD and other lung disease. COPD Breathing Hui Meetings The Hawaii COPD in conjunction with Kaiser Hawaii is proud to anounce monthy Breathing Hui support group meetings. Please click here to download a flyer with more information. 2nd Friday of every month, 10-noon at: Kaiser Honolulu (1010 Pensacola, Conference Room 2 AB)
Funded by a grant made possible through Hawaii Department of Health, administered by the Hawaii Community Foundation with funds from Hawaii Tobacco Prevention and Control Trust Fund. Website made possible in partnership with Grassroots.org. Design by Jonathan Chang 2008-2010. Click on the banner above to translate this website.