Allergy & Asthma Network Announces 30th Anniversary Award Winners; Jerome Bettis to Attend Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill

VIENNA, Va., April 22, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Allergy & Asthma Network (http://www.AllergyAsthmaNetwork.org) will pay tribute to patients, healthcare professionals, industry leaders and staff members who made significant contributions in allergy and asthma care, as part of the organization's 30th Anniversary Celebration, May 5-8 in Washington, D.C.  Along with a special Awards Dinner at the Newseum, the Celebration will include a series of events dedicated to core mission areas of outreach, education and advocacy.

One longtime allergy and asthma advocate who has inspired patients is former NFL player and 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Jerome "The Bus" Bettis. He is among scheduled speakers at The Network's congressional briefing on Wednesday, May 6 at the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill – part of the 18th annual Allergy & Asthma Day Capitol Hill (AADCH). Bettis, who played 12 seasons in the NFL, will share his story of living with asthma and food allergies.

The congressional briefing will highlight innovative community-based healthcare strategies and patient-centered healthcare teams. Also on Wednesday, volunteers and advocates from around the country will convene on Capitol Hill to meet face-to-face with members of Congress and advance legislative initiatives that impact asthma and allergy patients.

On Thursday, May 7, The Network will host a series of educational session, with leading medical experts reflecting on allergy and asthma care in years past and addressing current developments and trends in the years ahead.

That evening, The Network will host its 30th Anniversary Awards Dinner at the Newseum. Nancy Sander, who founded Allergy & Asthma Network as Mothers of Asthmatics in 1985, will be honored with a special Founder's Award.

The complete list of 30th Anniversary Award winners is as follows:

Outreach
Andrea Holka, Outstanding Patient
William E. Berger, MD, Outstanding Healthcare Professional
TEVA Respiratory, Outstanding Partner
Marcela Gieminiani, Outstanding Staff Member

Education
Brooke Sander, Outstanding Patient
Martha White, MD, Outstanding Healthcare Professional
National Association for School Nurses, Outstanding Partner
Dolores Libera, Outstanding Staff Member

Advocacy
Jon Terry, Outstanding Patient
Prem Menon, MD, Outstanding Healthcare Professional
Mylan Specialty L.P., Outstanding Partner
Sandra Fusco-Walker, Outstanding Staff Member

Research
Jeff and Cristin Buckley, Outstanding Patients
Matthew J. Greenhawt, MD, Outstanding Healthcare Professional
American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI), Outstanding Partner
Laurie Ross, Outstanding Staff Member

In addition, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy will present the EPA National Environmental Leadership Awards in Asthma Management during the Awards Dinner.

On Friday, May 8, The Network will join MEDA Pharmaceuticals and Medikidz USA to release the first of three "Medikidz Explain Asthma" comic books at The Playseum in Washington, D.C. The comic book features the Medikidz superheroes, experts in health and illness who teach children about their body and how illness affects it. The first comic book includes a character based on a real child with asthma, Savion Johnson from Columbus, Ohio.

Later on Friday evening, The Network will host an Outreach evening at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. to raise awareness and offer free asthma and allergy screenings prior to a Washington Nationals baseball game.

Patients, families, healthcare professionals, industry partners and advocates are invited to participate in the 30th Anniversary events: Registration is required. For information, visit http://www.AllergyAsthmaNetwork.org/about/30th-anniversary-celebration.

About Allergy & Asthma Network
Allergy & Asthma Network is the leading national nonprofit organization dedicated to ending needless death and suffering due to asthma, allergies and related conditions. Allergy & Asthma Network specializes in sharing family-friendly, medically accurate information through its award-winning publication Allergy & Asthma Today magazine, E-newsletter, website at http://www.AllergyAsthmaNetwork.org and numerous community outreach programs. Follow Allergy & Asthma Network on facebook.com/AllergyAsthmaHQ and twitter.com/AllergyAsthmaHQ.

Contact: Gary Fitzgerald
Allergy & Asthma Network
703-641-9595
[email protected]

SOURCE Allergy & Asthma Network