The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

THE OAKVILLE BEAVERB4 Wednesday, September 29, 1999 '"I Major changes at Lung Association Photo by Peter McCusker Eleanor Mueller, regional director, McMaster Region, Ontario Lung Association, left, and Ann Marie Anderson, a former volunteer advisory member of the Halton unit's board of director, explain the organization's new direction. By W ilm a B lokhuis BEAVER FOCUS EDITOR Major restructuring has changed the Halton Lung Association. No longer mandated to deliver the Ontario Lung Association's programs to the people of Halton Region, the local unit now exists solely for fundraising. And, while brochures on lung health issues are still available at the Speers Road office, no ser­ vices are provided locally. As a result of this restructuring, announced last year, four staff people left immediately, their jobs redundant. A fifth had left earlier. Of those five, three were Lung Association staff and two were working in the office on contract. The local board of directors, which included a number of medical people, also resigned, says Anne Marie Anderson, a consumer who sat on the board as one of its community advisors for five years. Many former board members continue to advise the Lung Association, among them respirologists Dr. John Kirby of Oakville and Dr. Roger Haddon of Burlington, who was its long-time medical advi­ sor. Currently the office is operated by two staff, Wendy Rawana, executive director and develop­ ment officer, and one full time assistant - plus vol­ unteers. Rawana arrived at the Halton Lung Association office shortly before the changes took effect. Her specialty is fundraising. Since her arrival, the Halton office has com­ pleted three successful fundraisers, a fashion show, a Festival of Trees and Baskets campaign, and a golf tournament at Rattlesnake Point in June. This year's Gala of Fashions will be held on Nov. 18th at Otello's Banquet Hall. The Lung Association's various offices organize 200 events annually, including its five signature events - bike trek, golf marathon, dress down day, hike for clean air, and Festival of Trees and Baskets. The changes were sweeping, explains Eleanor Mueller, regional director for the McMaster Region of the Ontario Lung Association. The association's 35 local offices have been clustered into five regions, with Halton now part of the McMaster. 'T he Ontario Lung Association has set up its offices to support teaching hospitals," explains Mueller. A Cambridge resident, Mueller is respon­ sible for seven offices in the McMaster Region. In addition to Halton, they are Waterloo, Wellington, Brant, Haldimond-Norfolk (Simcoe), Hamilton- Wentworth, and Niagara (Thorold). 'T he former staff at the Halton office were pri­ marily local health educators, not fundraisers," says Mueller of their departure. "All of them left on good terms, and some are still involved with the medical aspects of the organization. They rec­ ognized that their jobs had become redundant." The departure took place in August 1998, and also affected the Niagara, Waterloo and Hamilton offices. "All of them were about the same size as Halton, and now all of them have (been reduced to) two staff," explains Mueller, adding job cut­ backs had to be made to keep the Lung Association in operation. 'This was impacted by a downturn in fundraising." The changes affecting the Lung Association were a "couple of years in the making," she con­ tinued. 'The focus of our strategic direction has changed." "We had to tighten up, focus on fundraising and change our delivery of services if we're to be around over the next 20 years. The non-profits won't be around if we don't become more effi­ cient. We had to adjust to the new marketplace." And, now programs such as the Lungs Are For Life campaign in schools, and the School Smoking Prevention Program, are still being offered, but on a provincial, not local level. "The Lungs Are For Life program is ranked by inde­ pendent studies done by the Canadian Cancer Society and Health Canada as among the top three smoking prevention programs in Canada," said Mueller. The program has been running for at least a dozen years. Mueller also adds the type of services must change with the times. "For example, our Smoking Cessation program was started 18 years ago because there was a high need. This program included addiction coun­ selling and lifestyle changes. We would measure the success rate of our Smoking Cessation pro­ gram by doing one-year follow-ups. We've run that program for thousands of people across Ontario, including Halton, in workplaces, high schools and in the community. "Over the years we've gone from literally help­ ing 15,000 to 18,000 people a year across the province to when we stopped the program a few years ago. The demand had dropped to only 500 people a year. "We had to look at the numbers - smoking is now socially unacceptable, like drunk driving." The program stopped and the Lung Association turned its attention to supporting advocacy groups fighting to change smoking bylaws. "As society changes and the demands change, likewise we have to change," said Mueller. "Our smoking prevention efforts have changed to addressing air quality issues and home health." A new Asthma Action Program will be launched in Halton and across Ontario this fall. The Lung Association funds asthma research at McMaster University, considered to be in the top third worldwide for this type of research. The Asthma Action Program will have its own 24-hour help line, staffed by accredited asthma educators, offering information and support. 'To plan our Asthma Action Program we had focus groups and one-on-ones across Ontario with patients and their families. We asked them how the Lung Association can be more helpful, and many told us 'Nobody had asked us that before,' said Mueller." The patients "identified a high need for advocacy. We've never advocated on behalf of asthma patients. "Many of them, home oxygen users, want us to advocate on their behalf concerning oxygen issues and medications. The major issue is who pays for them?" The Asthma Action Program was developed by talking to thousands of people to find out their needs, and whether home bound people preferred VCR tapes or the Internet for getting information, she explained. These VCR tapes have been broad­ cast on Cogeco Cable 23, "We've tracked attendance at traditional evening programs, comparing them to other ways for people to access information. If we offer a one- evening session, we could get as many as 200 peo­ ple out," explains Mueller, "but if we offer a six- week series, we'd be lucky to get 10 families reg­ istering." Mueller notes the Lung Association is also determined to standardize the delivery of service across Ontario, "in order that everybody benefits equally, not those who happen to live close to an office and is able to attend a workshop." For this reason, the local offices no longer handle the delivery of services. The Lung Association also has a 24-hour help line, 1-800-972-2636, and a web site, www.on.lung.ca, where information about asthma management, smoking cessation and living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) can be easily accessed. The association also con­ tinues to make available its printed materials including pamphlets and brochures on everything from asthma to smoking, bronchitis and emphyse­ ma, tuberculosis, colds and flu, to hay fever, and air quality, in English and French. "Everything - research information - is avail­ able on the Internet," continues Mueller. "Nobody is calling the agency (office directly) for this infor­ mation." Materials are also available for student-use in a resource centre Rawana has established in the Halton office. "Distances are overcome by the Internet and us delivering materials such as videos by courier." For example, information has been sent to the new asthma clinic at Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital. The most frequently requested pamphlets at the Halton office are Asthma and the Lungs, Cigarette Smoking, Colds and Flu, Hay Fever and Common Allergies, Second Hand Smoke, Tobacco Facts, and Indoor Air Pollution in the Office, Sleep Apnea (1,050 requests), and self-help smoking cessation materials. More than 50 different pam­ phlets and brochures are available to the public at the walk-in information resource centre. The association's web site is receiving more than 67,000 hits per month, based its first few months of operation. * Some history about the Lung Association services i The restructuring of the Lung Association comes about as the agency marks its centennial. The Lung Association is one of Canada's oldest voluntary health organizations, with roots dating back to the Canadian Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis, formed to provide facilities for tuberculosis (TB) patients. It adopted as its symbol the Cross of Lorraine, the red dou­ ble-barred cross still used today. At the turn of the century, TB was the leading cause of death in Canada, claiming one in five indi­ viduals before age 50. The organization adopted the Christmas Seal Campaign as its official fundraising endeavour in 1908, inspired by an idea con­ ceived by a Danish postman, to raise funds for sanitariums in Toronto and Hamilton. In 1953, over 17,000 individu­ als were in treatment facilities for TB across Canada. Today, its fewer than 1,000. The agency officially became known as the Lung Association in 1976. It's slogan is: If You Can't Breath, Nothing Else Matters. In addition to offering informa­ tion about seven programs from its Oakville office at 2200 Speers Rd., it continues to present the Jessie Lunau Scholarship, since 1986, in honor of its first execu­ tive director served for 30 years from 1951 to 1981. Since 1996, the Lung Association presented $1,000 scholarships to students entering a health sciences pro­ gram in university or college. It also offers the Sarah Anne Mita Memorial Trust Fund, origi­ nally established to provide assis­ tance to a severely asthmatic child who lived for only 10 years (1984-1994), the fund now pro­ vides financial assistance to chil­ dren attending asthma camps. BABRICLAND CANADA S LARGEST ^ FASHION FABRIC DISTRIBUTOR QU$ REGULAR PRICES On Our Entire Stock of Reg. Priced f fO M E DEC FABRICS, UPHOLSTERY, H A R D W A R E , N O T IO N S A N D T R IM S * Sewing Club Members save an additional 10% on all 20% Off items. S p e c ia l S e le c tio n ! 'E n v K T IE B A C K S O u r R eg. 1 1 .9 8 ea. N O W B U Y 1 G E T 1 FREE! (C o lo u rs m a y v a ry b y s to re ) S pe c ia l S e le c tio n ! M ERIDIAN UPHOLSTERY COLLECTION O u r R eg. 1 8 .9 8 m N O W 8 .99 m Special Selection! "Creations" DRAPERY HARDW ARE COLLECTION Includes sconces, magnetic rods and swing-arm rods. Individually priced. N O W 5 0 % OFF O u r tm m . M e Sale in effect September 20-0ctober 2. 1999 on in-stock merchandise only. Sorry, no special orders. Most items available in most stores Look tor the red sale tags Please Note in some locations some items may be sold at a price lower than our regular chain-store price Where th is competitive pricing occurs the advertised savings w ill be off our regular chain-store price Special Selection! CHENILLE UPHOLSTERY ENDS O u r R e g . 1 4 .9 8 m N O W 6 .9 9 m H uge S e le c tio n ! DRAPERY PRINTS A UPHOLSTERY O u r R eg. U p to 1 8 .9 8 m N O W 6 6 % OFF Our lu «. Prku S p e c ia l S e le c t io n l "P rim a " PRINTED SHEERS O u r R eg. 1 8 .9 8 m H O W 5 0 % OFF O u r t a * . M « E n tire S to c k l HO M E DEC TR IM M IN G S , HARDW ARE A ACCESSORIES In d iv id u a lly p r ic e d . N O W 3 3 % OFF Oi S pe c ia l S e le c tio n ! DRAPERY LINING 1 2 0 -1 3 5 c m w id e . O u r R eg. 8 .9 8 m N O W 5 0 % OFF our S pe c ia l S e le c tio n ! 'B ertolli' DECORATOR PRINTS O u r R eg. 1 8 .9 8 m N O W 6 .99 m OPEN SUNDAYS 12-5 140 Rebecca St. OAKVILLE 844-7728 The correct expiration date for PARTY CITY'S HALLOWEEN flyer in today's paper is 10/9/99 EXCLUSIVE MEMBERS' ONLY PATTERN OFFER! SEPT. 27-OCL 2 /99 ONLY! Entire In-Store Stock! BUTTERICK PATTERNS Individually priced. ONLY 2 .4 9 o a . Oiler valid Sept 27-Oct 2/99. on in-stock patterns only, for Sewing Club Members only. Limit 10 patterns per member, while quantities last Please help support Fabncland's HOC,000for year 2000 Cancer Campaign! Til September 30, when you purchase the featural product: $2.00 will be donated directly to the Canadian Cancer Society for breast cancer research Don't Miss Fabricland's HALLOWEEN COSTUME-SEWING CONTEST Saturday, October 16,1999 at Dufferia Mall, Toroato900 Dufferia St. (S. of C' FABULOUS PRIZES! REGISTRATION FORMS AVAILABLE AT H ATK lRAT IN G ONTARIO FAIRKLAND LOCATIONS. FOR DETAILS CALL FABRICLAND'S INFO LINE AT l-ttt-7 M -0 3 3 3 OR V ISIT OUR WEBSITE AT w w w .fabri<l«NUo Come in for the Biggest Halloween Costume Selection and Special Sale Prices! Good Through October 9, 1999 CORRECTION NOTICE!! Oakville Beaver lan Oliver, Publisher o f The O akville Beaver extends congratulations to Ron D odorico, salesperson o f the m onth for July. Ron's clients include Town of Oakville, Oakville Place. Sears, Sears Whole Home, Chisholm Education, Oakville Dodge, Ennisclare Interiors, MacLachlan College, Monte Carlo Hotel, Maple Grove Village, Bruce Hood Travel, and Meineke Muffler. This award recognizes Ron's hard work, and sales achievements. lan Oliver is also pleased to announce Diana Welch. Susan Hall and Evelyn MacGregor as marketing team of the month. Diana Susan and Evelyn are responsible for the creative and production duties of Marilyn's accounts. ) http://www.on.lung.ca By Wilma Blokhuis BEAVER FOCUS EDITOR OPEN SUNDAYS 12-5