U of L pulmonary division receives inaugural ALA honor
Award presentation kicks off Fight for Air campaign
U of L Drs. Jesse Roman and Rodney Folz will accept the first-ever Fight for Air Award on behalf of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Disorders Medicine.
► Click HERE to see a photo gallery from the award presentation
It's yet another first for a division of the University of Louisville Department of Medicine.
Recognizing its longstanding commitment to improve lung health in Louisville and the surrounding region, the American Lung Association picked the U of L Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Disorders Medicine as the inaugural recipient of the Fight For Air Award.
The award was presented Tuesday at the University's Clinical and Translational Research Building.
Dr. Jesse Roman, Chairman of the University of Louisville Department of Medicine and Dr. Rodney Folz, Chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Disorders Medicine accepted the award (Roman is also member of the division).
"It is with great pleasure that we join the ALA in its long standing fight against lung disease," Roman said. "Dr. Rodney Folz and his outstanding faculty continue to work tirelessly to improve lung health in Kentucky.
"A unique aspect of his program is the tight relation it has developed with invaluable partners in Pediatric Pulmonology, Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Oncology, as well as in the community. We have the best chance of stamping out respiratory disease through these broad coalitions. I am proud of their accomplishments and pledge to the ALA that we will continue to work together toward a common goal: improving the respiratory health of our community."
In announcing U of L as the award's first-ever recipient, ALA president Barry Gottschalk noted the University's ongoing support of the Smokefree Louisville campaign and its volunteer efforts to promote lung health through research, medical education and advocacy
In addition to handing out the award, the presentation event served as the official kick-off for the Fight for Air Walk to support lung health research.
A team from the Department of Medicine, the "Wind Walkers," will be among those participating in the Walk which will take place May 21 at Waterfront Park's Brown-Forman Amphitheater.
Limited-edition T-shirts supporting the Wind Walkers are available for $10 through the Department of Medicine Chairman's Office, and all proceeds from shirt sales benefit the Fight for Air campaign.
For more information or to purchase a shirt, contact Sherry Hertel at sherry.hertel@louisville.edu.
