Stories
We all have a reason to fight for clean air. Check out some personal stories below that highlight the need for healthy, safe air, and click here to share your own.
I have pulmonary fibrosis. There is little known about this disease; yet, as many people die of it each year as those with breast cancer. There is no cure and no approved medication to improve the terrible hardening of the lungs. Read more at FightingForAir.org
— Kitty, FL
Since coming to Miami, I have acquired terrible seasonal allergies and bronchiectasis.
I like to exercise and my favorite is walking, but because of the state of the atmosphere and my living in a heavy traffic and construction zone, I can never go out, or I will come back sick.
Read more at FightingForAir.org
— Mary , FL
My name is Abby, and I am a 31-year-old mother, wife, daughter, sister and aunt. My first asthma attack was at age 13. As time went on, things seemed to get worse. I was forever in and out of the hospital with pneumonia; add to that the misery of my doctors never knowing the cause of my agony. At age 22 after having my first child, I had to have part of my right lung removed. Read more at FightingForAir.org
— Abigail, FL
My husband was born with asthma, and I know so many wonderful people that suffer daily with the effects of asthma. Read more at FightingForAir.org
— Pat, FL
I have COPD and secondary pulmonary hypertension and have been bothered by smoke from both wildfires and planned burns recently. The planned burns were done on windy days--not too smart. Also, in my class at pulmonary rehab, we were told not to exercise outdoors. That's pretty sorry state of affairs, wouldn't you say? Read more at FightingForAir.org
— Patricia, FL
My son died of asthma at the age of 27. I have been fighting for clean air and raising money for clean air for 20 plus years, and I shall continue. Read more at FightingForAir.org
— Dr. Ronald, FL
Why would anyone want to take away the clean air we breathe? Our government runs an air monitoring system that records our air pollution. If the air we breathe is cleaner than years past, why would they want to discontinue or change it? Read more at FightingForAir.org
— Jelene, GA
It was a clear day when I picked up my two sons following their elementary school day. The weather was very mild, the sky a beautiful blue, and a light breeze was present. As I approached the school's afternoon pick up line with my car's windows down, the acrid smell of smoke wafted in. In the distance, children were playing on the playgrounds amid billows of smoke that relentlessly engulfed the school grounds. Read more at FightingForAir.org
— Philip, GA
I have emphysema, as well as chronic bronchitis. I smoked for 30 years and quit in 1992. I went to my family doctor in 2000, because I was having trouble breathing. Walking any distance was hard, and going upstairs was something I avoided like the plague. I think I saw my basement maybe once a week if I was lucky. Read more at FightingForAir.org
— Jean, IA
I am a 61-year-old double lung transplant survivor. I received my new lungs on June 27, 2009, from the University of Iowa Hospital. Thanks to my donor family, my skilled surgeons and the entire lung transplant team at the University of Iowa Hospital, I have my life back. Read more at FightingForAir.org
— Tom, IA
FACT: Over 127 million people live in counties that received an F for either ozone or particle pollution.
