MIAMI, Oct. 24, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alpha-1 Foundation has marked November as Alpha-1 Awareness Month, with several activities designed to increase knowledge of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (Alpha-1). Throughout November, people who have Alpha-1 and those who are affected by the condition will hold educational events, participate in fundraisers for research to find a cure, and share their stories about the challenges and successes 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.
"Alpha-1 is greatly under-diagnosed, and therefore many Alphas do not know they have the condition," said Henry Moehring, the president and CEO of the Alpha-1 Foundation. "We encourage everyone who suffers from COPD or unexplained liver disease to take a simple blood test to rule out Alpha-1 as the cause. Support and treatment therapies are available for Alphas, but without the knowledge of their condition, they will miss out on these opportunities. We will continue raising awareness of Alpha-1 throughout November and beyond, and we will keep investing in research to develop the vital treatment that Alphas need. Through it all, we will continue striving toward our ultimate goal: finding a cure for Alpha-1."
Throughout the month of November, people with Alpha-1, their supporters and families will participate in a variety of activities, including the second annual Virtual Walk that will allow them again to raise awareness of Alpha-1 and generate funding for Alpha-1 research and related programs in their own time, their own style, and at their own pace.
The Foundation will share facts about Alpha-1 each day on its website as well as on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and LinkedIn. Look for Alpha-1 Awareness Month updates with the hashtag #Alpha1Awareness, and look for Virtual Walk updates with the hashtag #A1VW16.
To learn more about Alpha-1 Awareness Month and how you can participate, log onto www.alpha1.org/awareness.
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 nearly $60 million to support Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency research and programs at 103 institutions in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia.
For more information, visit www.alpha1.org.
Contact: Bradley Bennett
[email protected]
305-567-9888, ext. 273
SOURCE Alpha-1 Foundation
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