The race is on! And Danica Patrick is behind the wheel!
This month, Danica Patrick and a team of celebrities are joining the community in a campaign called DRIVE4COPD.
The COPD Foundation, a founding partner of the national health campaign, is joining with Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and other organizations to spread awareness of COPD and find the millions of people who may be at risk for the disease but don’t know it.
DRIVE4COPD aspires to put the brakes on America’s fourth leading cause of death by helping people identify COPD symptoms and take action. The campaign’s ultimate goal is to screen 1 million individuals to see if they may be at risk for COPD in 2010.
Danica Patrick has had her own personal experience with the disease. “My grandmother had emphysema, a form of COPD. I remember how she struggled to breathe and the impact that had on her life,” said Patrick. “That’s why I am raising awareness about this debilitating disease as a spokesperson for the DRIVE4COPD campaign. I am asking people across America to learn about COPD and understand the importance of finding out if you or a loved one may be at risk.”
On February 3rd, the DRIVE4COPD campaign will launch with a kickoff event in New York City. On the 13th, the DRIVE4COPD 300 will be the first race of the NASCAR Nationwide Series season, held at the Daytona International Speedway the day before the Daytona 500.
The DRIVE4COPD All-Star Race Team will then take a few laps around the DRIVE4COPD 300 track to kick off their drive across the United States to find the “missing millions” who may be at risk for COPD.
From February 13th to the 16th, the Race Team will hit 14 local cities to raise awareness around DRIVE4COPD and have “Screen Teams” on the ground to administer a brief 5 question screener which helps identify if they may be at risk for COPD. Their screener results are printed with a hand held on the spot to encourage a dialogue with their physician on breathing better where appropriate.
On February 14th, the cross-country tour hits Dallas, TX, Atlanta, GA, Charlotte, NC and Raleigh, NC. February 15th the tour stops in Las Vegas, NV, Nashville, TN, Pittsburgh, PA, Cleveland, OH and Washington DC. On their final day, February 16th, the tour ends in; Los Angeles, CA, Chicago, IL, Detroit, MI and Boston, MA.
The public will be encouraged to continue with the “Race For the Missing Millions” at risk for developing COPD by taking online screeners if they feel they might have symptoms or forwarding the information to loved ones that have symptoms.
To find out more about DRIVE4COPD, visit the campaign’s Web site at DRIVE4COPD.com or the COPD Foundation’s website at www.copdfoundation.org.

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