BILLY RAY CYRUS AND THE COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION LEND THEIR VOICE TO "DRIVE4COPD"
Music and TV Star to Host "DRIVE4COPD Pavilion" at CMA Awards on Nov.10 to Kick Off New Partnership
Music and TV Star to Host "DRIVE4COPD Pavilion" at CMA Awards on Nov.10 to Kick Off New Partnership
Country Music and television star Billy Ray Cyrusand the Country Music Association (CMA) have joined DRIVE4COPD to raise awareness of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) among Country Music fans and artists. DRIVE4COPD is a national public health initiative that aims to help people identify symptoms of COPD and take action. Cyrus will kick off this new partnership by hosting the "DRIVE4COPD Pavilion" on the Black Carpet at "The 44th Annual CMA Awards" on Wednesday, Nov. 10, where he will greet visiting artists and celebr ities and ask them to lend their support and autograph the colorful DRIVE4COPD pinwheel icon.
COPD is a serious lung disease that makes it harder and harder to breathe. With a history of COPD in his family, Cyrus is passionate about encouraging Americans to find out more about this debilitating disease and is looking forward to doing so as a new campaign celebrity ambassador.
"I'm proud to be partnering with the Country Music Association and DRIVE4COPD," Billy Ray Cyrus said. "It's astounding to think that COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States and yet many people don't even know what it stands for. If I can help inspire Americans to find out more about COPD and get screened then I've done my job."
Born from a partnership between the American Association of Respiratory Care, American Lung Association, COPD Foundation, NASCAR, and founding sponsor Boehringer Ingelheim, DRIVE4COPD is an education and awareness campaign encouraging Americans 35 and older to take a brief, five question screener to help people determine if they may be at risk for COPD and, if they are, to speak to their doctor. Through the DRIVE4COPD partnership with the Country Music Association, Cyrus joins fellow Country star Patty Loveless and other celebrities to help bring COPD to the forefront.
"CMA is thrilled to join the DRIVE4COPD campaign and we're excited to have an artist and actor the caliber of Billy Ray Cyrus to host the DRIVE4COPD Pavilion on the Black Carpet and be a campaign ambassador," said Sheri Warnke, CMA Vice President of Strategic Partnerships. "His involvement and his relationship with the other artists and celebrities attending the CMA Awards will go a long way to help raise awareness of this disease."
"The 44th Annual CMA Awards" is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the Executive Producer, Paul Miller is the Director, and David Wild is the writer. The special will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.
About COPD
COPD includes chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or both. More than 24 million Americans may have COPD and yet half remain undiagnosed. COPD kills one person every 4 minutes and more people each year than breast cancer and diabetes combined.
COPD make it harder to breathe because less air is able to flow in and out of the lungs. Many people delay seeing a doctor because the symptoms of COPD are often confused with normal signs of aging. Common symptom s include shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing and chest tightness.
As the disease progresses, symptoms tend to get worse and more damage occurs in the lungs. This damage is permanent. Ultimately, breathing can become more and more difficult until people feel like they are inhaling and exhaling through a small straw. Most people with COPD are not diagnosed until they have already lost half of their lung function. By then it is often a struggle to walk - especially up the stairs - and participate in everyday activities. The good news is that COPD can be managed to help people live and breathe easier. With the right diagnosis and treatment, people can take steps that could help them manage COPD and breathe better.
For more information about COPD and the campaign, visit: DRIVE4COPD.COM
Comments
Post a Comment