ASTHMA AWARENESS

Asthma is a chronic lung disorder that affects millions of Americans. It is the most common chronic disorder in children and impacting over 6 million children. It is the third leading cause for hospitalization of children under the age of 15. In adults over 2 million of our mature patients over 65 have asthma. Asthma is not only a disabling disease but it can also kill. Every day Physician Assistants treat patients with asthma. PAs not only offer treatment options but they also provide critical advice and education on the disease.

Asthma impacted my family in a most disastrous way in 2004. Our oldest child, Timothy, at the age of 28 had a severe asthma attack that subsequently deteriorated into respiratory arrest. As a result he suffered an anoxic brain injury that has taken his eyesight and left him physically disabled. This occurred only 3 weeks after the birth of his first child. He was in a coma for almost 3 months and was hospitalized for over 7 months. Fortunately, cognitively Timothy is intact but he faces years of rehabilitation. My family is indeed blessed to still have him with us but there were times we thought we would lose him. Timothy fit right into the group of people who primarily treated their symptoms of asthma and not their disease. This not an uncommon action by our patients with asthma! One of the interesting observations I made after Timothy got sick was the number of people and especially health care professionals who did not realize the devastation asthma can have! As a PA, I know my colleagues are providing the best care for their patients and I want to help in providing you resources in educating your patients.

So my year as TAPA President I decided to honor the courageousness and positive spirit of Timothy by dedicating the President’s Philanthropic effort to Asthma Awareness. The first step in this effort was TAPA joining as an organizational member of the Asthma Coalition of Texas (ACT). The Asthma Coalition of Texas is an organization of over 160 individual and organizational members committed to those who suffer with asthma in Texas. The ACT vision is that "all Texans with asthma will realize optimal health and quality of life". ACT has dedicated itself to increasing asthma awareness and supporting legislative and regulatory efforts that help patients with asthma. As an organizational member, TAPA has become one of several medical organizations that is partnering with ACT to improve asthma awareness. In concert with this activity, TAPA, along with other medical organizations, endorsed an asthma score sheet created by ACT and the American Lung Association that providers can give to their patients with asthma to help them better assess their status. GlaxoSmithKlein graciously provided PA’s a pad of these sheets. But another benefit of joining ACT is it allows Texas PAs to partner with a health care group in showing our commitment to addressing health care issues important to our patients.

The second part of the philanthropic effort is developing a scholarship program for children to attend asthma camps across Texas. In 2006 along with TPAF funds, GlaxoSmithKlein approved a grant for the asthma camp scholarships in the amount of $15,000. TPAF President Melinda Moore approved a sub-committee for the sole purpose of organizing and distributing these scholarships. The sub-committee is made up of PAs, PA students, and a public member. That public member by the way is Timothy. The scholarships will be accessible to PAs who wish to apply on behalf of their patients. The asthma camps are a fantastic resource in educating young people about not only treating their symptoms but also treating their disease. We hope to initiate the first scholarships by early 2007. Your support for this program and to the PA Foundation is most appreciated. Thanks to all of you for your support!!

Michael G. Clark
TAPA President
2005-2006