From left to right, Mercy University School of Nursing Associate Director Sindy Louisma, nursing students Brittany Tomala and Jaelisa Scott, White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach, Dean Kenya Beard, nursing student Rebekah James and Professor Denise Byrd.
Mercy University’s School of Nursing, in partnership with the American Lung Association (ALA), the White Plains School District and the YWCA in White Plains, has launched a critical initiative aimed at increasing asthma awareness and better understanding asthma management within the community. This effort comes in response to alarming data from the New York State Department of Health, which reveals a rise in asthma-related emergency room visits and fatalities in Westchester County.
The initiative kicked off with a community event on Friday, September 27, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the YWCA of White Plains and Central Westchester. Mercy University nursing students offered information sessions and live demonstrations on the proper use of asthma metered dose inhalers with spacers. White Plains Mayor Thomas M. Roach stopped by to lend his support to this important cause.
This event is just the beginning of a series of outreach activities focused on educating the community about asthma management. In addition to the launch event, nursing students will conduct the Open Airways Educational Program for elementary school students in the White Plains School District during October and November. Aimed at children aged 8-11, this program will teach young students to identify asthma triggers and understand environmental effects, along with reviewing the ALA's Asthma Action Plan.
Through this collaborative effort, Mercy’s School of Nursing hopes to empower community members, learn more about their experiences with asthma and better understand what is needed to improve health outcomes.
