American Lung Association of Pennsylvania

Since 1892, the American Lung Association of Pennsylvania (ALAPA) has been fighting lung disease through education, community service, advocacy, and research. Our mission is to prevent lung disease and promote lung health. Since 1892, the American Lung Association of Pennsylvania has been conquering lung disease through many efforts, including education and community service. To further our goal of preventing lung disease and promoting lung health, we have a variety of programs to teach Pennsylvania children and adults how to keep their lungs healthy. Topics include smoking cessation classes, support groups for lung disease patients to summer camps for asthmatic children. Please call your local office at 1-800-LUNG-USA for program topics, availability and schedules. Our professional staff and volunteers can make on-site presentations in schools, businesses and throughout the community. We can also train individuals to deliver some of our programs. Pennsylvania residents can get answers to their questions regarding lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, tuberculosis and other lung health topics by dialing the American Lung Association Call Center at: 1-800-548-8252. Callers are connected to a specially trained registered nurse or respiratory therapist who provides immediate and comprehensive information about specific lung diseases. Callers have the opportunity to have their questions answered in both English and Spanish during a free, confidential conversation with a lung health medical expert. Call Center experts stay up-to-date with weekly continuing education. Created to respond to the public's increasing reliance on technology to obtain health information, the American Lung Association Call Center is dedicated to the health and well-being of all individuals. The American Lung Association Call Center also provides extensive information on a variety of topics including allergies, smoking cessation and environmental issues in a confidential manner. The ALA Call Center also offers Physician Referral. Upon request, callers will be provided with a list of no less than three specialists in their area. Callers can speak directly with a registered and licensed respiratory care practitioner weekdays between 8:00 am and 7:00 pm. If you have a lung health question, contact the Call Center toll-free at 1-800-548-8252, or via e-mail: questions@lungil.org. All calls places during other hours will be returned the following business day. The American Lung Association of Pennsylvania is involved primarily with state legislation and agency regulations. Our goal is to seek changes in the PA Legislature that will help all 12 million Pennsylvanians breathe easier. Over the past 4 years, ALAPA has been instrumental in securing a $52 million allocation from the PA Tobacco Settlement for cessation and prevention services. Our efforts have also impacted smoking regulations on school property and helped raise the excise tax on cigarettes from $.31 to $1. We continue to advocate for laws that seek to reduce smoking rates among youth and adults and encourage non smokers never to start. ALAPA also continues to advocate for a variety of environmental and asthma issues. We have been a key partner in efforts to allow all school children to carry their asthma inhaler. Our environmental successes include the passage of the 2002 Pesticide Notification Act. The American Lung Association is also recognized for our ongoing efforts to educate both legislators and the general public about the dangers of tobacco, the need for asthma legislation and the ongoing problems with ozone and pollution. ALA produces several comprehensive national reports, including our annual State of the Air Report

The American Lung Association of Pennsylvania (ALAPA) is the oldest voluntary health association established in the United States to fight a specific disease that being Tuberculosis. The Charter of the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Tuberculosis hangs in the Staff Office conference room in Harrisburg. Lawrence Flick, M.D., was the societies first President from 1892-1896. However, there is evidence that the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Tuberculosis dates back long before it was actually chartered. Notes from Dr. Flick have been found dating back to 1884. These artifacts also adorn the conference room walls. Through the years, the Society has been instrumental and demonstrated the need for adequate follow-up of TB cases. In those early years case registers helped to keep track of individuals harboring this disease. TB Societies used Christmas Seal dollars to demonstrate the need for case registries to document the benefits of keeping adequate records. Treatment of Tuberculosis consisted of rest, good food and fresh air. This became the mode of treatment for young and old alike until the discovery of Isonizid. This discovery changed the way TB was treated and laid the groundwork for the modern treatment of Tuberculosis. Research funding for the development of Isonizid was shared by the Federal Government and the American Lung Association. The Voluntary sector would utilize public charitable dollars to demonstrate to government the need and success of research, public health, direct service and community health programs. It was this seed which helped lead the way. Over the years the name of the organization changed to reflect current lung health initiatives until 1973 when the national organization adopted our current name, the American Lung Association to reflect all the various lung diseases we fight to prevent. Today we have truly made remarkable strides in all areas of public health, thanks in part to the work of the American Lung Association of Pennsylvania.