Last night (Tuesday, May 4, 2010) 100 people attended World Asthma Day at American International College. Dr. Robert Kaslovsky of Baystate Medical Center's Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine department, presented information to the audience. After dinner, the audience was invited to several stations to learn more about various inhalers, about asthma triggers like pollen, dust mites, and secondhand smoke, and to play interactive games that focused on asthma education. Doctors, nurses, respiratory specialists, and health outreach workers were on hand to answer questions and to help demonstrate various breathing devices. In this photo, respiratory therapist Donna Hawk, helps Iris Martinez of Springfield with an inhaler.
Asthma awareness is of extreme importance for Springfield residents because of the high rates of asthma, especially in Springfield's children. Rates are even higher for people of color. Springfield Partners works closely with Baystate Medical Center to provide outreach and follow-up to people who have recently been hospitalized for asthma. Our Health Outreach workers visit the homes to discuss asthma triggers and taking asthma medicines and we can even help enroll people in various health insurance options to make sure they can afford their medicines.
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