American Lung Association Walkers Tell Their Stories

PHILADELPHIA, PA — They walk for family members and friends who have died from lung disease. They walk for their children who have asthma. They walk to raise money for cures and advanced treatments.

Hundreds of walkers (with hundreds of reasons for walking) will turn out for the 10th annual Philadelphia Fight for Air Walk on May 5, 2012. The walk begins at Headhouse Square on 2nd Street, between Lombard and Pine Streets. Registration and family fun festivities for the walkers begins at 8 a.m., and the walk begins promptly at 10 a.m. 

One of the walkers will be Alan, who was diagnosed with lung cancer in January of this year. He’s walking in the fight for air to support children with asthma, teens who are pressured to start smoking, people with lung cancer and emphysema, and everyone who wants to breathe healthy air.

Merle is walking for her father, who had lung cancer and COPD. Merle says he was a great dad and he is missed every day.

Team Anakin Airwalker is walking for an eight-year-old boy named Bennett. Like many kids in the Philadelphia area, he loves the Phillies, the Eagles, soft pretzels, Tastykakes and clean air to breathe. Team Anakin Airwalker is walking to help find better treatments for Bennett's condition. They are walking to help educate people with asthma and their caretakers on how to minimize and treat flare ups.

It’s not too late to register and walk. Participants are invited to register from all over the Philadelphia area and surrounding counties, including southern New Jersey. The presenting sponsor for this year’s event is Kindred Hospitals; other key sponsors include TEVA Respiratory, Church & Dwight, ChoosePAWind, and Health Partners.

For more information on the Philadelphia Fight For Air Walk or to register, visit www.lunginfo.org/phillywalk.

View photos of walkers from the 2011 Philadelphia Fight For Air Walk here.