Media tilt launched to increase public awareness of COPD

Take a deep breath. Then exhale half the air that you’ve taken in. Try taking a deep breath again. Once more, exhale only half the air you’ve taken in. Repeat it a couple more times. Do you feel short of breath and exhausted?

This is how millions of people around the world may be breathing for the rest of their lives. They can’t take full breaths because residual air remains trapped in their lungs. These are the people afflicted with what is called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD.

Aiming to raise public awareness of this debilitating but preventable disease, the German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim, has launched the COPD Communication Award "Eloquium" for journalists.

The award aims to recognize journalists and reward excellence for those who will demonstrate responsible, informative and effective reporting on COPD.

A breath of clean and refreshing mountain air and awesome sights await the three winners who will be awarded with a one-week trip for two to any one of these breathtaking destinations: Mount Kilimanjaro in the Himalayas, the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, and Mont Blanc in France.

The winners also get to attend the European Respiratory Society Congress in Glasgow next year.

"Eloquium" is open to all journalists from the print, broadcast and online media. Entries will be accepted on all topics pertaining to the causes, prevalence, management and socio-economic impact of COPD.

COPD is an umbrella term used to describe airflow obstruction associated mainly with two types of lung ailments – emphysema and chronic bronchitis. It is often tagged as the smoker’s disease since majority of its sufferers are smokers.

Entries will be judged primarily on their impact, accuracy, research and the journalist’s writing excellence. They must have been published or broadcast between Nov. 20, 2002 and Oct. 1 this year and submitted until Oct. 2.

For more information about "Eloquium," contact Cecil Jucaban at 867-0864 or 848-0933, e-mail at [email protected] or log on to www.boehringer-ingelheim.com to download the application form.