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:
๐ญ Chicagoโs 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.
๐ฃ๏ธ Read what RHAโs 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.
๐ง Stay hydrated
๐ Stay in air-conditioned spaces
๐ซ Avoid outdoor exercise
Climate change is a public health crisis. RHA stands with those fighting to protect the EPA.
๐ญ 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 Quitยฎ 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, postโacute 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
๐จ๐จ๏ปฟTonight, 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!
โWhen people smoke on the CTA, they are putting at risk the health of all riders, especially those living with #asthma and other #lungdiseases,โ said RHA's Senior Director of Strategy, Programs & Policy, Erica Salem.
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.
๐ฅ๐ฅWildfire smoke blanketed #Chicago last week, but warnings alone arenโt 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 !๐๐
RHA is proud to name Nan Sethakorn, MD, PhD, of Loyola University Chicago, as the recipient of the 2025 #LungCancer Research Award.
Dr. Sethakornโs research focuses on natural killer cellsโimmune cells that can directly kill cancerโand 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:
Get your tickets today at WeAreAair.org/Salem and get 25% off! Together, we can improve the quality of life for children with #asthma and #allergies.
Check out RHA's Senior Director of Strategy, Programs & Policy, Erica Salem, at the inaugural Ready Schools, Healthy Kids Summit on August 25โ26 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 RHAโs Director of Environmental Health Programs, Brian Urbaszewski, reminds us: โThere is no level at which fine particles cease to cause health problems.โ
๐ฅ 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.
๐บ Watch now: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4-a...
๐ RSVP now (itโs free!) at: forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=408fApwrJEiDeLvPnsWsy1O4o4D66XBOgLUwTFcnyNtUMU8xMVZVVTNBNzAzU0xHS1BLWVFXOUVUTS4u
๐ Learn more at: www.luc.edu/baumhartcenter/events/upcomingevents/rebootyournetworkforabetterworld/
๐ข Representing RHA will be Board Member Dan Rekowski, sharing how you and your company can help drive cleaner air and healthier communities.
๐ We're excited to co-host Reboot Your Network for a Better World with the @loyolachicago.bsky.social's Baumhart Center! ๐โจ
Join us on June 11 for an evening of purposeful #networking, light bites, and real connections with social impact professionals across Chicago.
Read the full article at: www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250529759823/en/ComEd-Receives-Approval-for-Beneficial-Electrification-Plan-2-Continuing-to-Advance-Transportation-Electrification-in-Illinois
โGiven current uncertainty with other sources of funding that foster zero-emission transportation, ComEdโs continued investment in its BE Plan is now even more critical in helping cut harmful pollutants, leading to cleaner air and healthier communities across northern #Illinois.โ
โReducing vehicle #emissions is one of the most effective ways to improve air quality and public health,โ said Brian Urbaszewski, RHA's Director of Environmental Health Programs.
