Tammy Warfel has been a proud volunteer for the American Lung Association in Pennsylvania for over six years. Warfel is no stranger to COPD awareness and the need for more education, which is why she is a COPD Awareness Month lung champion.

“It is frustrating that people don’t realize that lung disease is not just caused by people bringing it upon themselves” said Warfel.  She was diagnosed over 15 years ago with mild exercise-induced asthma.  Just knowing the discomfort she feels from her “mild” case, Warfel goes onto explain “I can’t imagine what other people go through.”  Those other people included her mother, Ruth Warfel.

Ruth Warfel was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 25 years ago.  After a long battle with the lung disease, Ruth passed away in 2006.  Along with the loss of her mother, Warfel also lost an uncle to lung disease and currently has an uncle with COPD.

All of these close personal ties to lung disease have made Tammy Warfel even more committed to COPD Awareness Month. Getting involved with the American Lung Association in Pennsylvania with her mother years before her passing, Warfel has seen all of the reasons why it is so important to have a month dedicated to this lung disease.

Warfel stresses the importance of COPD awareness and prevention when it comes to lung disease and clean air. “Lung disease can affect you; it’s about the quality of the air you breathe, not just smoking.  The American Lung Association’s efforts reach out to multitudes of people, not just those who have COPD. It’s trying to prevent the effects of polluted air” said Warfel.

For more information on COPD and COPD Awareness Month visit www.lunginfo.org.