OBERLIN, OH
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Tappan Square
8:00 a.m. Registration, 9:00 a.m. Walk Starts 

It’s more than a walk, it’s better breathing... just a step away!

Oberlin Volunteer Walks the Talk for Good Lung Health 

Connie Boase is a survivor and then some. Born at a time when “miracle medicines” like antibiotics and steroids were unavailable, and procedures such as allergy testing or CAT scans were unheard of, the 83 year-old Boase knows all too well what it’s like to fight for air. 

Starting with hay fever at age 5 after playing in some hay stacks, Boase eventually progressed to severe allergies and asthma, with periodic bouts of bronchitis and pneumonia throughout her lifetime.  In 1974, the mother of five children and an Oberlin, OH teacher was diagnosed with lung cancer.  Having never smoked, Boase and her doctors point to secondhand smoke as the cause of her cancer since her husband, Tom, was a heavy smoker. 

After being one of the fortunate few to survive lung cancer, Boase used supplemental oxygen for years due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Yet, she was determined not to let that keep her from living a full, active life.  As a resident at Kendal of Oberlin, Boase used a 50-foot tube tethered to her oxygen tank so she could do water exercises. She also made it a point to learn all she could about lung disease and what she could do to help herself get better. 

Her grit paid off. These days, Boase is grateful to be enjoying life without the need for an oxygen tank during the day.  She is making plans to visit her family. She is very active, participating daily in activities such as water walking and table tennis.  And, she is excited to be volunteering with the American Lung Association to plan the First Annual “Lung Walk” in Oberlin to increase awareness about lung disease and raise funds for lung disease research and education. 

When it comes to fighting asthma, COPD and lung cancer, Boase knows perhaps better than anyone how important research, education and advocacy are.  ”There are so many people out there I want to help,” says the stalwart lung champion.

 WALK Events1
By supporting the Lung Walk you will help improve the quality of life for those who struggle to breathe and ultimately save lives.  After the Lung Walk, you will walk away with a new found respect for your lungs! 

 Why Should You Walk?1
Your support helps the American Lung Association in the Fight for Air. With lung disease on the rise, we are fighting for research that will find a cure for tomorrow. We are fighting for those who can’t quit smoking and those who shouldn’t start. We are fighting for lungs that burn from exercise rather than from ozone. We are fighting for asthma education to stop children from dying from asthma attacks. We are fighting for laws that improve air quality both inside and out.

And we won’t breathe easy until we win the fight.

 How You Can Walk to End Lung Disease1
Step 1. Register online by clicking on the appropriate link to the right.
Step 2. Set a fundraising goal (we suggest $100). Ask friends, family and co-workers to support your fundraising efforts with a donation.
Step 3. Aim high and earn a great prize. All participants who raise $100 or more will receive an official Lung Walk T-shirt. The more you raise, the better the prize you can earn. 

Online registration is fast and easy and allows you to get started raising money right away. If you have additional questions contact your local ALA office at 216-532-8202. 

 Join the Fight For Air!1
Since 1904, the American Lung Association® has been preventing lung disease and improving the quality of life through research, education and advocacy.

To continue our fight, we need your support. More than 35 million Americans suffer from lung disease. A disease that is responsible for one in six deaths and ranks as America’s #3 killer. The statistics are staggering: