The Asthma Team™ focuses primarily on asthma education and awareness, which is an important part of preventing asthma-related health problems and asthma-related deaths. The Asthma Team™, and Captain Chris Draft, have teamed up with the Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics for the Great American Asthma Challenge, a new grassroots campaign, that will launch on Asthma Awareness Day on May 5.

As part of the Great American Asthma Challenge, Draft will be on hand for the Great American Asthma Challenge Kickoff Event on Capitol Hill on May 5. He will begin the day by serving as the keynote speaker for the Congressional Press Breakfast Briefing and will be a special guest at the Asthma & Allergy Fair and Asthma Screenings throughout the day.

The Great American Asthma Challenge starts on May 5. Participants log into a new interactive website, take a quick survey to establish a baseline and set goals, then they’re off to complete Challenge activities targeted for three levels of users: families, healthcare providers and legislators. New Challenges will be posted on the website each month. Throughout the Challenge, participants will see survey results and share feedback. The Challenge is self-paced and fun, plugging participants into a network of others who share their struggles, triumphs and goals. At the end of the Challenge, users take a survey to measure their progress.

Draft launched the Asthma Team™ in 2007, at the beginning of the NFL season. Following an asthma attack during the first week of training camp with the St. Louis Rams, he realized that as he was beginning to work with local organizations across the country that promoted asthma awareness and education, that he needed to figure out a way reach out to people nationwide.   To accomplish this goal, Chris needed to create a team, united by the common goal of Tackling Asthma™.

For more information, or to join the Great American Asthma Challenge, visit the AANMA at www.aanma.org.