"Breath of Life" Exhibition Opens in Grand Style
Jackie Joyner-Kersee, "Sesame Street" Characters
Help Launch In-depth Look at Asthma
Somehow, it didn't feel like a Monday night at some government
building.
With the balloons, the celebrities, the gourmet food, hundreds of
guests, and an entertaining, educational exhibit as backdrop, it was
more like a gala extravaganza in the name of asthma research.
"Breath of Life," a unique interactive exhibition about asthma,
opened at NLM March 22nd. Asthma is a growing concern in this
country and affects nearly 15 million Americans, or more than five
percent of the population. Developed by the Library's History of
Medicine Division, in collaboration with the National Heart, Lung,
and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases, and the National Institute of Environmental
Health Sciences, "Breath of Life" highlights the history of asthma,
the experiences of people with asthma, and efforts to understand and
manage the disease. NLM Director Dr. Donald A.B. Lindberg welcomed
the capacity crowd to a 5:30 p.m. press event in the HMD Reading
Room. He also had good news to announce.
"Because of the generosity of Glaxo Wellcome [a research-based
pharmaceutical firm], it's going to be possible to ship this exhibit
to perhaps as many as ten American cities, and that's going to be a
wonderful thing, because it will carry the message that you all are
going to hear to places outside Washington," noted Dr. Lindberg. A
special guest at the press event was House Appropriations Committee
Chair C.W. (Bill) Young (R-FL). The Congressman gave an enthusiastic
endorsement of the "Breath of Life" exhibition, and of NIH in
general.
"It is exciting for an appropriator to see where some of the
dollars that he or she has appropriated are being used and being
used effectively," said Congressman Young. "And I would suggest that
right here at NIH is one of the best examples of tax dollars being
used. What an exciting time to come to NIH."
The congressman was accompanied by his son and other members of
the track team from Gar-Field High School in Woodbridge, Virginia.
The team has been nationally ranked and several of its members have
asthma. The group posed for pictures with Olympic gold medalist in
track and field, Jackie Joyner- Kersee.
Joyner-Kersee, considered by many to be one of the greatest
female athletes of all time, also suffers from asthma. Speaking at
the press event, she reflected on her own experience with the
disease. "As a young girl growing up, I didn't know I had asthma.
The most important thing [in dealing with asthma] is knowledge,"
Joyner- Kersee told the audience in the HMD Reading Room. "Allowing
our doctors to be our friends. So I started respecting asthma like I
respect my opponent. I would not take my opponents for granted, and
I had to stop taking asthma for granted, because it was getting the
best of me."
Jackie Joyner-Kersee was joined by another Olympic medalist,
Nancy Hogshead. Hogshead, who won her gold medals for swimming, is
now an attorney. She had a positive message for those suffering from
asthma.
"If you have asthma and you want to be the very best in the
world, there are a lot of things you can do," she told the crowd at
the press event. "With treatment and working with your physician,
you really can go and accomplish what it is in your heart and soul."
Another Olympic gold medalist, NLM Board of Regents Chair Dr. Tenley
E. Albright, introduced her fellow Olympians to the audience. Dr.
Albright won her medal for women's figure skating.
She read a statement from First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, who
expressed regret that a trip abroad prevented her attending the
opening of "Breath of Life." In her message, Mrs. Clinton observed,
"In the last decade, there has been an alarming increase in the
number of people with asthma, particularly for children under the
age of five. The most effective way to help control and prevent
asthma is by providing information about this health problem to the
widest possible audience."
"The 'Breath of Life' exhibit," she continued, "is a wonderful
way to inform communities about the triggers, symptoms and treatment
for asthma, so that lives can be saved and enhanced and the health
of children can be improved." Congresswoman Connie Morella (R-MD)
was also a guest at the opening press conference. She discussed her
own efforts to help double the NIH budget by 2003 and pointed out
that "Medical research reverberates throughout the country,"
improving the way we deliver health care. She characterized asthma
as a "silent disease," its victims trying to go about their lives,
doing their work and not complaining. She pointed out that an
estimated five million American children have asthma, and that an
estimated one in three of those has had to go to an emergency room
for treatment in the past year. Then came the exciting finale of the
formal program. "Sesame Street"!
Thirty children of NLM employees, clad in "Sesame Street"
T-shirts, could barely contain themselves as they entered the HMD
Reading Room single file and beheld familiar faces from the popular
children's show. A lively group from NIH's Children's Inn also
joined in the fun. Dani, a new Muppet character who has asthma,
joined fellow cast members Rosita and Luis and the assembled crowd
in a rollicking rendition of "The Breathing Song."
They also watched lively videotaped segments about asthma that
had aired on "Sesame Street." (Children's Television Workshop, the
producer of "Sesame Street," has teamed with the Prudential
Foundation and the American Lung Association in a new bilingual
multimedia educational campaign, "A Is For Asthma." Asthma is a
rapidly growing health problem among inner-city Latino
populations.)
At about 6:25 p.m., the program ended and the party began. An
eclectic soundtrack with music from asthmatic composers (Beethoven,
Vivaldi and Bernstein, among others) and performers (including Liza
Minnelli, Alice Cooper and Kenny G) set the tone for the opening and
hinted at the variety of celebrities with asthma. (A more
comprehensive list composes the "Faces of Asthma" section of the
exhibition.)
Besides the stars that were projected onto the ceiling of the NLM
rotunda during the reception, the stars from the press event stayed
around, interacting with the crowd and posing for photographs.
Persons from the national asthma community greeted one another and
all guests enjoyed viewing the "Breath of Life" exhibition, with its
many interesting objects and interactive displays. All in all, a
breathtaking occasion.
"Breath of Life" is open to the public during regular Library
hours, Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with late hours
Thursdays (till 9:00 p.m.) until Memorial Day weekend. The Library
is also open Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The exhibition
will run through June of 2000.
To take a virtual tour of the "Breath of Life" exhibition via
your web browser, go to http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/breath/breathhome.html
Watch for a longer article about the content of the "Breath of
Life" exhibition in the next issue of NEWSLINE.
Caption: The vast panorama of the "Breath of
Life" exhibition, which occupies NLM's lobby and rotunda through
June of 2000.
Caption: Golden moment. Olympic gold medalists
Jackie Joyner-Kersee (l.) and Nancy Hogshead (r.), both of whom have
asthma, greet each other following the "Breath of Life" press
event.
Caption: Cong. Connie Morella (R-MD), addresses
the "Breath of Life" press event, as NLM Director Dr. Donald A.B.
Lindberg looks on. Ms. Morella represents Montgomery County, where
NIH is located, and serves on the House Committee on
Science.
Caption: NLM Board of Regents Chair Dr. Tenley
Albright (l.) stands with fellow Olympian Jackie Joyner- Kersee and
Executive Director of the Friends of the NLM, Keith
Krueger.
Caption: Children of NLM staff members are
spellbound, seeing members of the "Sesame Street" cast, up close and
personal.
Caption: "Sesame Street" favorites (l. to r.)
Rosita, Dani and Luis delighted and informed the crowd with a song
and several videoclips from "A Is For Asthma."
Caption: Jackie Joyner-Kersee pauses for a
photograph with Donovan (c.), age 1, and Diamond, age 6, (r.)
McLean, the children of Renee McLean in NLM's Bibliographic Services
Division.
Caption: House Appropriations Chairman C.W.
(Bill) Young had words of praise for NIH. His entourage included
members of the Gar-Field High School track team.
Photo credits: Chase Studio, Bethesda, Maryland, and Karlton
Jackson, NLM. |