November is Alpha-1 Awareness Month

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Nov 03, 2015, 08:40 ET

MIAMI, Nov. 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alpha-1 Foundation is marking Alpha-1 Awareness Month, designed to increase knowledge about Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (Alpha-1). Throughout the month of November, people with Alpha-1 will hold educational events, participate in fundraisers for research to find a cure, and share their stories about the trials and triumphs of living with Alpha-1.

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Alpha-1 is a genetic condition – passed on from parents to their children through genes. The condition may result in serious lung disease in adults and/or liver disease at any age. It is the most common known genetic risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Alpha-1 affects at least 100,000 people nationwide, but fewer than 10 percent have been diagnosed.

"If you suffer from shortness of breath, wheezing, chronic cough, recurring chest colds, unexplained liver disease and/or asthma that does not respond to treatment, you should take a simple blood test to determine if you have Alpha-1," said John Walsh, co-founder and CEO of the Alpha-1 Foundation, a not-for-profit that raises awareness of Alpha-1 and works to improve the lives of people who have it. "Many Alphas do not know they have the condition because it is greatly underdiagnosed. That means they are missing out on opportunities to get the support and therapies that are currently available to help them. By raising awareness and moving forward with research, we will assist more Alphas in getting the treatment they need. Ultimately, we will achieve our primary goal of finding a cure for Alpha-1."

People with Alpha-1 will participate in a variety of activities throughout November, including a Virtual Walk allowing them to raise awareness and funds for Alpha-1 research in their own time, their own style, and at their own pace. There will also be an Alpha-1 Education Day in Orlando on Nov. 7, and the Foundation will share facts about Alpha-1 each day on its website, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram profiles. Look for our updates with the hashtag #Alpha1Awareness.

About the Alpha-1 Foundation: The Alpha-1 Foundation, founded in 1995, is committed to finding a cure for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency and to improving the lives of people affected by the condition worldwide. The Foundation has invested more than $54 million to support Alpha-1 research and programs at 100 institutions in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Australia. For more information, visit www.alpha1.org.

For more information, contact:
Brad Bennett
Communications Manager
Email
305-567-9888 Ext. 273

SOURCE Alpha-1 Foundation