Asthma Action Plan for Chicago

The Asthma Action Plan is an ongoing collaborative project that seeks to expand upon existing partnerships and work already being done in Chicago to reduce the impact of asthma. The Advisory Council of the Asthma Action Plan meets quarterly and is led by Dr. Edward T. Naureckas, MD, an Associate Professor at the University of Chicago and Dr. Cathy Catrambone Assistant Professor at Rush University College of Nursing.


Please call the Respiratory Health Association for meeting dates and further information 312-243-2000.

2007 Asthma Action Plan

When the above report was issued, we were known as American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago. On July 1, 2007, we changed our name to Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago, and we are not affiliated with American Lung Association.

Asthma Action Plan Leadership
The Asthma Action Plan for Chicago is lead by a strong team that is passionate about making change in the asthma outcomes for Chicago.

Co-Chairs
Dr. Edward T. Naureckas
Edward T. Naureckas, MD, is an Associate Professor at the University of Chicago with experience in the physiology of airway smooth muscle as well as the epidemiology of adherence to therapy for airways diseases. In addition to searving on the board of the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago, he is the former chair of the Chicago Asthma Consortium. He is a co-investigator in the American Lung Association-Sponsored Asthma Clinical Research Consortium investigating asthma therapies. He is also a coinvestigatorin the EPA sponsored Center for Integrating Statistical and Environmental Science investigating the effects of outdoor air quality of asthma morbidityusing pharmaco-epidemiology. He is the director of the Adult Cystic Fibrosis Program and the Pulmonary Function Laboratory at the University of Chicago.

Dr. Cathy Catrambone
As an advocate for lung health, she has been active in the American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago (ALA-MC) since 1985. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor at Rush University College of Nursing. She has participated in asthma-related research for the past 15 years as project director and co-investigator for three years and has presented at local, regional and national meetings. Her research has focused on asthma surveillance, asthma quality improvement collaboratives, and asthma disparities. She is the President of the Nursing Assembly. She continues to serve on the Board of Directors, Executive Committee, and recently appointed Co-Chair of the Chicago Asthma Action Plan Advisory Council. She has been an advocate of clean indoor and outdoor legislation including the local smoke-free campaigns.

*Photo: RHAMC President and CEO Joel Africk (left) and Lt. Governor Pat Quinn at a press conference recognizing World Asthma Day 2007.