Lung disease has been a health battle for me throughout my entire life. As a child I suffered with croup and inflammation of the upper airways. Both of which led to an asthma diagnosis in my 30’s and a positive diagnosis of mycobacterium avium-intracellulare (MAC), which causes tuberculosis-like symptoms. About three years ago, I was also diagnosed with Alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency.
Everyone knew that cigarettes were bad for their lungs after the research was released. Now we're trying to get people to know about healthy air. What someone breathes in stays in their lungs. Whether it’s smoke from burning leaves, secondhand smoke, or other pollutants, clean air is an essential part of lung health today.
I know that we can clean up our air and help make healthier lives for everyone in our communities. I know that the fight for clean air begins with all of us advocating for our own health and our own communities.
