While October has us thinking pink, November is all about the orange—pumpkins, basketball and, most importantly, the orange ribbon for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Awareness Month.
COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. (and in Los Angeles County) and yet very few Americans are aware of the disease. In fact, COPD often goes undiagnosed for years due to this lack of awareness. While 15.7 million Americans have been diagnosed, it’s estimated an equal number suffer with the disease because they have not been diagnosed. But there is treatment and ways to manage the disease so those with the illness can reduce their symptoms and lead a better quality of life.
Tyler Jones