Canadian wildfire smoke has inundated the #Midwest today. #Indiana has called an #AirPollution Action Day and so did the #Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. For more information, check out RHA's essential tips for protecting yourself from wildfire smoke:

🏭 Chicago’s zoning laws allow major polluters to move into already overburdened neighborhoods without warning. A new ordinance would require public input before new pollution sources are approved. 🗣️ Read what RHA’s Director of Environmental Health Programs, Brian Urbaszewski, has to say at:

Extreme heat is dangerous, especially for people with lung disease. Add heat stress, and the risk grows. 💧 Stay hydrated 🏠 Stay in air-conditioned spaces 🚫 Avoid outdoor exercise Climate change is a public health crisis. RHA stands with those fighting to protect the EPA.

🚭 Illegal smoking and vaping on the CTA is a serious health issue and we need solutions that work! Check out RHA's Senior Director of Strategy, Programs & Policy, Erica Salem's Letter to the Editor of the Sun-Times urging Mayor Johnson to focus on enforcing existing fines. Read the full letter at:

RHA will host a virtual Courage to Quit® Leader Training on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 5th and 6th, from 9:00 am - 12:30 pm CST. Participation in both days is required to complete the training. Deadline to register is July 31st at 5pm CST. Register today at:

RHA is pleased to announce the election of Nicholas J. Lynn to the Board of Directors. A registered pharmacist and licensed attorney with over 40 years of experience, Lynn brings a wealth of legal experience in pharmaceutical regulation, post‑acute care, and healthcare compliance. Full statement:

RHA is proud to announce that Nixon Peabody partner John Ruskusky has been elected to the Board of Directors. Ruskusky is a seasoned trial lawyer who represents companies and individuals in high-stakes business litigation. Read the full statement at:

Join us on Wednesday, July 23, 2025 for a free zoom webinar between 12:00 - 12:45 PM CST, as we cover #radon basics, #health risks, testing & mitigation, and a policy snapshot. RHA's Brian Urbaszewski, will be moderating. Sign up today at RespHealth.org/Radon-Webinar

🚨🚨Tonight, the U.S. Senate plans to vote on a budget bill that cuts over a trillion dollars in #Medicaid funding. If passed, nearly 12 million Americans will face being uninsured and millions more will receive worse care. Tell Your Senators to Protect Medicaid and Stop the 'Big Beautiful Bill!'

Do you live in the City of #chicago and believe people already overburdened with #airpollution should have a voice when large polluters want to locate in their communities? Sign a letter urging your Alderperson to protect the health of already vulnerable communities at ujoin.co/campaigns/38...

In 2023, thanks to RHA and Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America advocacy, #Illinois became the first state in the country to fund a statewide program permitting undesignated emergency #asthma medication in schools. Learn more about the successes of the program at:

Thank you to everyone who attended the 2025 Summer Reception and joined us in congratulating our 2025 Solovy Award recipient, Dr. Wassim Labaki, alongside all of our amazing volunteers!

Last Wednesday, 34th Ward Alderman Bill Conway, alongside RHA staff, introduced a resolution calling for stronger enforcement of the Chicago Transit Authority's (CTA) ban on #smoking.

Check our RHA's Director of Environmental Health Programs, Brian Urbaszewski, discuss how to keep yourself safe during poor #AirQuality days and how poor air quality affects your #health.

🔥🔥Wildfire smoke blanketed #Chicago last week, but warnings alone aren’t enough! Residents need access to clean-air shelters and resources. Check out what RHA's Director of Environmental Health Programs, Brian Urbaszewski, has to say:

Safer than #smoking? Think again. It's time to bust some myths about #vaping !👇👇

RHA is proud to name Nan Sethakorn, MD, PhD, of Loyola University Chicago, as the recipient of the 2025 #LungCancer Research Award. Dr. Sethakorn’s research focuses on natural killer cells—immune cells that can directly kill cancer—and how lung #cancer cells may block their activity.

RHA is proud to name Wassim Labaki, MD, the recipient of the 2025 Solovy Award for Advancement in COPD. Dr. Labaki is an Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and a provider in the Michigan Medicine COPD Clinic. Read the press release at:

Check out RHA's Senior Director of Strategy, Programs & Policy, Erica Salem, at the inaugural Ready Schools, Healthy Kids Summit on August 25–26 at the Abbey Resort in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin!

RHA is alarmed by the abrupt dismissal of all CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices members. We urge Congress to restore the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices immediately and ensure critical #vaccine coverage for our most vulnerable communities.

Be smoke-smart this summer! #WildfireSmoke from Canada can drift back into #Illinois any time! And as RHA’s Director of Environmental Health Programs, Brian Urbaszewski, reminds us: “There is no level at which fine particles cease to cause health problems.”

🎥 Check out RHA advocate Mia Fritsch-Anderson on the Whitney Reynolds Show as she shares how we can help destigmatize #asthma and support those living with it. 📺 Watch now: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4-a...

🌟 We're excited to co-host Reboot Your Network for a Better World with the @loyolachicago.bsky.social's Baumhart Center! 🌍✨ Join us on June 11 for an evening of purposeful #networking, light bites, and real connections with social impact professionals across Chicago.

Last week, ComEd announced that the Illinois Commerce Commission approved its second Beneficial Electrification (BE) Plan, investing approximately $168 million over a three-year period beginning in 2026.

On Tuesday, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that #COVID19 #vaccines are no longer recommended for healthy pregnant people and children. The Centers for Disease Control's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is scheduled to meet soon to issue a formal recommendation.

¡Feliz mes de la conciencia sobre el #asma! ¡Manténgase atento a las señales de alerta y desencadenantes para que tenga un verano seguro y saludable!

🚨🚨TODAY ONLY: Our Associates Board is raising funds to support RHA’s vision of healthy lungs & clean air for all… and you can help simply by enjoying your favorite pizza! 🎉 20% of your order will support RHA’s Associates Board!

Thank you to everyone who came out last week to #ClimateActionLobbyDay in Springfield, as we urged lawmakers to #ActOnClimate and #ElectrifyIL! Our focus is on a slate of bills that will double down on IL's bold climate policy & secure an equitable, affordable & healthy future for all Illinoisans.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Wine and Design! Your generosity helped us raise over $80,000 with over 800 tickets sold! These funds will fuel our work in #Asthma, #COPD, #LungCancer, #Tobacco control, #CleanAir, and more. We look forward to seeing you in Spring 2026!

Tell your Representatives to prevent the gutting of the CDC's Office of Smoking and Health! #Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death within the United States, with nearly 500,000 deaths per year. Since 1999, OSH has helped reduce the smoking rate from 25% to 10.8%. We can't go back!

#Measles still affects far too many communities around the world, putting vulnerable children at risk of serious complications. 🌍 By ensuring everyone has access to the measles #vaccine, we can protect families, strengthen public health, and work toward a measles-free future.

Currently, the House Energy and Commerce Committee in Washington D.C. is considering a bill that would slash nearly $880 billion from Medicaid and leave over 20 million Americans without health coverage. Take a moment to tell your elected officials to reject any proposal to make cuts Medicaid.

On May 6th, RHA staff tabled at the Chicago Asthma Consortium. Senior Director of Strategy, Programs and Policy, Erica Salem, served as a panelist, while Program Director, Rachael Morkunas, and Program Manager, Jalia Wilkins, presented research on the Chicago Coordinated #Asthma Program.

We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our friends at Ink Factory for their incredible generosity and creativity. Their talented team took the time to understand our mission and translate it into a breathtaking mural in real time during Wine & Design!

¡Actualización 2025! Por eso trabajamos para que todas las escuelas de #Illinois tengan acceso a medicamentos de emergencia para el #asma 🫡

🚨🚨LAST CALL FOR TICKETS 🚨🚨

🚨🚨 Congressional budgeters are proposing to enact a new federal charge of $200/year for EV drivers and $100/year for hybrids. For EVs, this tax is more than double what the average gas driver pays in the federal gas tax. Read the full letter at: static1.squarespace.com/static/602e0...

Silent Auction & Raffle Are Live! 🥳 🔹 Bid on amazing entertainment, sports, and travel packages! 🔹 Enter our silent raffle for your chance to win a Monica Vinader Round Diamond Tennis Bracelet or an AirOasis iAdapt Air Purifier 2.0. Check out all the items and grab your raffle tickets at:

Join us for a discussion on the future of asthma on #WorldAsthmaDay, May 6th. This event will bring together experts, healthcare professionals, and community leaders to explore urgent actions needed to improve asthma outcomes. Sign up today at: chicagoasthma.org/event-5995679

“When you gut the scientists and the people who know how that process runs, you have to rebuild that infrastructure...that could take years,” said Brian Urbaszewski, RHA Director of Environmental Health Programs, in response to the EPA's personnel cuts.

In March, U.S. EPA administrator Lee Zeldin announced the largest deregulations in U.S. history. “Deregulation is a nice way of saying allowing greater abilities to pollute and to put harmful toxins and emissions into our air,” said Rob Anderson, President and CEO of RHA. Check out full comments 👇

Last Monday, RHA signed onto a letter with 100 other groups delivered to the head of the EPA, asking him to not roll back the soot health standard. Read it below.

🌍 This Earth Day, take action for clean air and healthy lungs! 🌱 Join RHA on May 21 for Lobby Day in Springfield! We’re teaming up with the Illinois Environmental Council to push for stronger environmental policies that result in healthy lungs and clean air for all.

En los próximos meses, la Asociación de Salud Respiratoria publicara su nuevo Manual para cuidadores de niños con Asma. El Manual es un compendio de recursos y incluye 19 capítulos organizados en 4 secciones, más apendices. Obtenga más información y solicite su copia aquí:

Prices increase April 21. Get your tickets today!

RHA has been closely monitoring changes made at the federal level and is working to identify those which may pose a threat to the RHA mission – to prevent lung disease, promote clean air and help people live better through education, research, and policy change. Here's some of the ways you can help:

Nominations due today!!

Join RHA for Wine & Design, a night of elegance and inspiration! Savor wine tastings from around the world, delight in savory hors d’oeuvres, and explore the stunning showrooms of THE MART’s first floor. Get your tickets and learn more at: RespHealth.org/Wine-and-Design

A #NorthwesternUniversity study found that establishing stricter limits on truck emissions would prevent 500 deaths per year in #Chicagoland by 2050. Listen to RHA's Director of Environmental Health Programs, Brian Urbaszewski's insights on the study.

#Measles cases are up around the country, do you know how to stay safe?