(NAPSA)—Are you a “face” of influenza? More than two out of every three people in the U.S. are. cause for people with asthma— even more so when families are not educated on the dangers of influenza and the need to get vac- In fact, more than 200 million peo- ple are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to receive the influenza vaccine annually. Despite these recommendations, immunization rates fall short every year. Influenza is serious. On average, approximately 226,000 Americans are hospitalized and 36,000 die from the disease and its complications each year. The American Lung Association’s national educational campaign, Faces of Influenza, is designed to help Americans put a “face” on this potentially deadly disease and recognize annual influenza immunization as an important preventive measure to protect themselves and their loved ones. Included in the Faces of Influenza are famous and not so famous Americans who take influenza seriously and get immunized each year. Here are some of their stories: Actress Jennifer Garner Jennifer Garneris one of today’s most popular actresses in Holly- wood. She is also a wife and a mother and places great value on looking out for her family’s health and well-being. That includes protecting her family from influenza and its related complications through annual immunization. Nearly everyone in Jennifer’s life needs to be immunized against influenza—herself, her husband andtheir baby daughter; her mom and dad; her grandparents and great grandparents; even the doctors and nurses whocare for them. Jennifer has joined the American Lung Association as its national spokesperson for the Faces of Influenza public awareness initiative. She wants to educate Americans that vaccination is cinated. Dr. Alvarez works with a safe and effective way to prevent influenza andits complications. She also wants each of us to ask our health care provider about vaccination. “As one of the many Faces of Influenza, you and I and those close to us need to get vaccinated,” Jennifer says. Rick Cerett December 20083 was a time of joy for Rick Cerett and his family—his nearly six-month old twin grandchildren, Marques Maurice, Jr. and Chalise were aboutto celebrate their first Christmas. Then Marques came down with what the family thought wasa cold. Rick remembers it this way: “Marques came down with a fever and runny nose on Christmas Eve and the doctor said it was influenza. By Christmasday, he was having trouble breathing and nothing seemed to help.” Within three days, Marques was dead. The tragedy has made Rick a crusader for yearly influenza vaccinations for parents and caretakers. “You think of influenza killing older people,” he says. “But if you're around an infant, you need to get the vaccine and, once your kids are old enough, they need to be vaccinated too.” Hugo Alvarez, M.D. Hugo Alvarez, M.D., knowsall too well the dangersinfluenza and its related complications can the American Lung Association of Greater Chicago to reach the Hispanic community with important educational information and materials on how to protect themselves and their loved ones from influenza every year. Dr. Alvarez also serves as the Deputy Medical Officer and Director for Quality Improvement with Access Community Health Network, the nation’s largest, private community health center organization, helping nearly 210,000 patients every year. “Influenza prevention for people who live with or care for anyone within high-risk groups is critical, especially to help protect those who rely on others for their care, namely persons over 50 years of age as well as youngchildren,” Dr. Alvarez says. The American Lung Association asks every family to seeif its members are among the many Faces of Influenza—high-risk individuals or those in close contact with high-risk people who should receive influenza immunizations every year. To learn more, visit the Lung Association’s Faces of Influenza Web site: www.facesofinfluenza.org. FACES OF u : } oe s INFLUENZA American Lung Association's Influenza Prevention Program In collaboration with sanofi pasteur
