Tell Us Your Asthma Team Story

The Chris Draft Family Foundation works hard to raise awareness for asthma all across the country, but we know we're not the only ones. Do you have an asthma-related story you'd like to share? If so, please fill out this form, and we'll share your story with other people battling asthma all across the country right here on ChrisDraftFamilyFoundation.org!

Asthma Can't Stop Me

• Joshua B. Panama City, FL Joshua just turned 14. He had never participated in sports until this year, but he is now a football player.
• Anthony T. Jr. I noticed my son Anthony Jr. had asthma at age 3 months; however the doctor insisted that children of that age could not be diagnosed as having asthma.
• Lydia R. Oxnard, CA
• Jaxin W. Vacaville, CA
• Juanita H. Arlington, TX
• Patrick M. Hamline University Asthma made me who I am today. It pushed me to be the best and got the best out of me.
• Mia W. Hamburg, NY 17 years ago, Amelia “Mia” Wagner was born in Hamburg, NY. She was born a healthy baby, but started having difficulty breathing during her toddler years. When she was just three years old, she was diagnosed as a severe asthmatic.
• Josh S. Josh Suttenberg has battled asthma since he was only seven months old. What once started as croup in his infant years, now has Josh taking medications on a daily basis to prevent any asthma attacks.
• Tiyanna W. Jacksonville, FL A middle school student at Sadie Tillis, Tiyanna Way from Jacksonville, Florida, has battled with asthma since she was only five years old. With common things such as second-hand smoke, dust or just the cold weather outside triggering her asthma, Tiyanna is forced to take medications on a daily basis, morning and night.
• Kyle C. Toronto, Ontario, Canada Hello my name is Kyle Clarke and I am 12 years old. I live with asthma every day! I was diagnosed with asthma at 4 years old. I was too young at that time to know what it meant…all I knew is that I couldn’t breathe so well sometimes!
• Briana Friberg Rochester, NY My name is Brianna and I am 7 years old. I am in 2nd grade. I have been living with Asthma my whole life.
• Leia S. My name is Leia and I'm 13 years old. I have severe asthma. Unfortunately, I know what a spontaneous pneumothorax is. It's a collapsed lung. I know this because when I was turning 6 years old my lung collapsed because of my asthma.

Family and Friends Tackling Asthma

• Melissa M. Charlotte, NC I am a mother of four children who at early ages were diagnosed with asthma. My oldest and youngest children have severe asthma that has required numerous hospitalizations.
• Jason M. Staten Island, NY I am an asthmatic who is raising an asthmatic child. My son was diagnosed with Asthma at the age of 1. Since then, he has been admitted to the hospital several times.
• The Dentinger Family Anna, OH The RD Rockets Team raises funds for the American Lung Association's asthma research and education through its Ryan J. Dentinger Memorial Asthma Walk.
• The Willis Family Virginia I am a single parent of three boys ages 24, 19 and nine, and the grandmother of an 8-month old little boy. As a child I suffered with severe asthma.
• Melissa M. Charlotte, NC
• Karen W. Waterloo, IA
• The Kazsa Family Wesley Chapel, FL Having asthma does not mean missing out on fun and exercise – especially if our children follow our main rule … PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR BODY!
• The Schwartz Family Miami, FL David Schwartz serves as a member of the American Lung Association of Florida – South Area Advisory Board and is the current president of the Florida International Bankers Association. David is an asthmatic.
• The Newman Family Miami, FL Yolanda Fox Newman has been a family law and domestic relations attorney for 14 years. She and her husband Mark Anthony Newman are the proud parents of Mark Anthony Newman II, who is affectionately known as little M.A.N. due to his initial.
• The Hill Family Clearwater, FL Connor and Devin Hill are twin boys, age 12, and they love Ronde Barber, who is also a twin brother of Tiki Barber.
• The Gable Family Philadelphia, PA Josh Gable, 15, has suffered from asthma since he was nine. Overall, his condition is mild, but his mother Kim noted that when he has an attack, it can get pretty severe. “At one point, (doctors) almost had to incubate him.”
• The Moore-Jacobs Family Pittsburgh, PA When Tate Moore-Jacobs began his senior year at Cedar Cliff High School this year, his hope was to put an end to childhood asthma.
• The Hicks Family Pittsburgh, PA Kim Hicks and her family are the Family Chair for the American Lung Association’s ninth Annual Walk for Life & Breath. The walk is a community event to raise awareness for asthma and other respiratory diseases.
• The Angelos Family Chicago, IL At 11 years old, Tommy Angelos has been playing football for three years and is starting to take a preference for the tight end position. At 9 years old, George Angelos has been playing for two years and knows he wants to be a football player when he grows up. Both of the boys play for the Elmhurst Eagles and both of these boys live with severe asthma.
• The McClosey Family Delran, NJ The McClosey family has six children ages 3 to 15 — Sean, Erin, Kaylyn, Brendan, Dacey, and Annalivia— and three of the children as well as their mother, have asthma.

Professionals Tackling Asthma

• Al K. CTK Consultants LLC CTK’s innovative asthma education program, “Asthma Blues”, utilizes the science of music and learning to communicate the NHLBI guidelines for asthma management.
• Jaime A. American Lung Association of New York I started working at the American Lung Association in New York 3 ½ years ago. I was shocked by the number of people I met who were affected by asthma and other lung disease.
• Beth M. American Lung Association of the Central States I started working for American Lung Association nine years ago as the director of the residential week-long asthma camp in Kansas. At the time I didn’t know a lot about asthma but had lots of experience directing camps. I quickly learned how serious asthma is and the effects of not enough patient education.
• Courtney W. American Lung Association in Florida I came to work for the American Lung Association (ALA) after working in the child welfare arena for seven years. I always loved non profits but wanted a job where I could both grow and still have the hands on contact with children.
• Jeff S. American Lung Association in New England Jeff S., President & CEO of the American Lung Association in New England, chose to work for American Lung Association because of the organization's strong mission and how it relates to everyone - whether you're on oxygen, are trying to manage your asthma, are trying to quit smoking, or want to keep your lungs healthy.
• Deborah B. American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic Deborah B., CEO, American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic ( Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia)
• Katie L. American Lung Association in Greater Chicago Katie L. is the Communications Manager at the American Lung Association in Greater Chicago. Before coming to the American Lung Association, she worked for two years in Hispanic Media.
• Kelly S. American Lung Association of Arizona Kelly S. is the Director of Lung Health Programs at the American Lung Association of Arizona. Her first exposure to Camp Not-A-Wheeze was about 16 years ago when her mother was a medical volunteer (Pulmonologist).
• Aleek K. American Lung Association of Washington DC Aleek K. is a Development Associate with the American Lung Association of Washington, DC. Aleek always wanted to work for a non profit that did work within the community to improve the lives of its residents.