California Distributes Free Inhalers To Underserved Asthma Patients

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 06: Asthma program director Alex Aldrete teaches 15-year-old Jesus Ayala the proper use of the new albuterol sulphate inhaler through a holding chamber at the Venice Family Clinic on June 6, 2007 in the Los Angeles, California community of Venice. With a quiet demeanor, Jesus is typical of a large number of teens who become withdrawn and suffer from depression as difficulty breathing isolates them from the physical activities of their peers. Because a federally-mandated ban on chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) calls for all asthma patients who use albuterol inhalers to switch to an environmentally-friendly inhaler by December 31, 2008, more than 100 community health centers and clinics in California are offering free asthma inhalers to their uninsured and underserved low-income asthma patients through the 2007 ASPIRE Campaign. The ASPIRE Campaign is a partnership between The Children?s Health Fund, National Association of Community Health Centers, National Association of Free Clinics and Direct Relief International. Poor air quality has been blamed for much of the recent rise in childhood asthma cases in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)