Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago

Chicago, IL 60607
312-243-2000
www.lungchicago.org

Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago is an independent not-for-profit lung health organization that has been serving Chicagoland since 1906. Our mission is to promote healthy lungs and fight lung disease through research, advocacy and education. Through community-based interventions, Respiratory Health Association serves local residents living with asthma, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema and other lung diseases.
 

Our community lung health programs include:  

• We oversee the Chicago Tobacco Prevention Project in collaboration with Chicago Department of Public Health. This project aims to implement citywide policy strategies designed to decrease tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke, with concentrated efforts aimed at high-burden population groups.
• We are working with Metra and CTA to clean up their dirty diesel pollution by encouraging cleaner fuels, reduced idling and pollution controls. These regulations will protect public health and improve air quality for employees, commuters and residents.

Our Living Better Together COPD educational conference in November brings education and awareness to hundreds of people living with the disease and their caretakers. 

• We convene the Illinois COPD Coalition, a group of more than 100 health leaders and stakeholders. Together, we created The State Plan for Addressing COPD, a comprehensive plan to reduce the incidence of COPD and COPD-related mortality, as well as to improve the quality of life for people living with COPD.
• We provide asthma education programs to teach children, parents, caretakers and teachers to understand and manage their asthma, with the goal of reducing asthma emergencies.

As part of the Chicago Tobacco Prevention Project, Bears wide receiver Johnny Knox visited Doolittle elementary to encourage kids to live tobacco-free.

Proceeds from CHILL are used to:
 

• fund local research projects on lung cancer, asthma and other lung diseases at institutions such as Northwestern University, University of Chicago and University of Illinois at Chicago;
• educate school children about how to manage their asthma by properly taking their medication and avoiding triggers;
• host an annual educational conference for people with COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
• provide resources and support for people trying to quit smoking.

As part of our State Lung Health Education Day in April 2011, more than 50 volunteers traveled to Springfield, Ill. to advocate for lung-friendly policies.