Spreading word on breathing ailments

November is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Awareness Month, and as participants in pulmonary rehabilitation at Central DuPage Hospital, Edward Hospital, Elmhurst Hospital and the Manor Care Better Breathers Club, we're spreading the word about the disease and ask for more resources to support treatments, education and research.

COPD includes both chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and common symptoms include shortness of breath, chronic cough with or without mucus, wheezing and chest tightness. It is a serious lung disease, and while presently there is no cure, treatments are available to help manage these symptoms. Experts estimate COPD affects 24 million Americans, including 500,000 Illinois residents, but half of them are not yet diagnosed.

Therefore, as people affected by COPD, we've learned that life goes on. Once you're diagnosed and have the proper treatment, you can continue to live life as you did before COPD started. Millions of people are affected by COPD, but the disease affects people differently, and each person can find different strategies to help them live well. Through pulmonary rehabilitation, we've learned how to manage our COPD through diet, exercise and moral support.

We need further COPD funding and research so that more people are educated about COPD and can understand the necessity of proper treatment and diagnosis. The more that is learned, the better the education will be to prevent people from getting COPD and the better treatments there will be for people living with COPD now.

Nancy Neil

Villa Park

Shirley Orlopp

Glen Ellyn

and seven others