| March 28, 2007
Conference Focusing on Critical Health Issue is Open to the Public
Southland air quality officials are assembling global asthma experts at a
two-day conference in Anaheim next month to address near-term solutions to
urban air pollution and its link to the alarming worldwide increase of the
disease.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District will host the aptly
titled Asthma Is a Small World international conference on Thursday, April
26, and Friday, April 27 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, Calif.
“Scientific studies show that air pollution plays a significant role in
asthma,” said William Burke, Ed.D., Governing Board Chairman of the South
Coast Air Quality Management District.
“We encourage local residents to attend and join experts from across the
United States and around the globe in seeking consensus on solutions for
reducing asthma incidence and improving our air quality.”
Keynote speakers include Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who will speak
during Friday’s lunch on “The Future of Health Care in California,” and
Olympic gold medalist and asthma sufferer Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who will
talk during Thursday’s lunch about “Achieving Success with Asthma.”
Other featured speakers include U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, who will talk
about “Federal Legislation and the Future of Air Quality” in a video
presentation, and Fabian Núñez, Speaker of the state Assembly, who will
address “Impacts of AB 32: Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006.”
In addition to experts from Southern California and across the country,
the conference will include asthma experts from at least eight foreign
countries: Australia, Canada, France, India, Israel, Mexico, South Africa
and Spain.
Some of the other speakers and their topics will include:
- Dr. Ralph Delfino, UC Irvine, “Air Pollution: A Risk Factor for
Asthma;”
- Dr. Nino Künzli, Institut Municipal d’Investigacio Medica, Barcelona,
Spain, “Exposure to Wildfire Smoke and Asthma Symptoms;” and
- Dr. Matiana Ramirez Aguilar, COFEPRIS, Mexico City, “Socioeconomic
Influences and Disparities of Asthma."
A complete conference agenda and registration information is at
http://www.aqmd.gov/ej/AsthmaIsASmallWorld.htm. Registration for the
two-day event includes lunches and costs $195 for corporate attendees; $100
for private individuals or those from non-profit, academic or government
organizations; and $50 for students. The deadline to register is April 20.
AQMD is the air pollution control agency for Orange County and major
portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
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