JOE MORRISON RAISING AWARENESS FOR COPD FOUNDATION

Courtesy of Morrison Racing

Englishtown, NJ – When NHRA Nostalgia Drag Racer Joe Morrison notices a problem, he is bound and determined to turn it into a positive. This year, with the assistance of his beautiful 1948 Fiat-Topolino Injected-Alcohol 190 mile per hour Altered, the business man from Flemington, NJ will proudly display the branding of the COPD Foundation in attempt to raise awareness for the estimated 24 million adults who are living with this disease.

“Joe is a great example of how a family member can make an impact by dedicating his life to raising awareness of the disease that affects his father,” says John W. Walsh, president and co-founder of the COPD Foundation. “He’s incorporated the COPD awareness message in what he loves to do. Every family member of an individual living with COPD can do the same, and if they did, imagine how many more lives would be improved.”

COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, is an umbrella term used to describe progressive lung diseases, encompassing emphysema, chronic bronchitis, refractory asthma, and severe bronchiectasis. 

This disease is characterized by increasing breathlessness. Symptoms include breathlessness, chronic coughing and wheezing. Many people mistake their increased breathlessness and coughing as a normal part of aging. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute estimates that 12 million adults have COPD and another 12 million are undiagnosed or developing COPD in some capacity.

 “The key to successfully living with COPD (there is no cure) is early diagnosis and proper treatment,” stated Morrison, whose father and mother-in-law both suffer from COPD. “What attracted me to the COPD Foundation is they focus on LIVING with COPD, not SUFFERING with it. To me, it is so important to keep a positive outlook, and the COPD Foundation offers that. COPD is now the 3rd leading cause of death in the USA, yet there really aren’t many people talking about it. We want to do our part to raise awareness of this terrible disease, for my dad, my mother in law and the other 24 million people living with COPD.”

Morrison is no stranger to supporting a worth-while cause. Last season, he proudly joined forces with NHRA Funny Car racer Fast Jack Beckman, the driver of the Don Schumacher Racing Aarons / Valvoline Dodge Fuel Funny Car, who collect over $56,000 in donations over the ten week promotion for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The experience gave Morrison an inspiration to continue his efforts this season and beyond.

“After the experience of helping Jack Beckman with his Leukemia & Lymphoma Society fundraiser last season, I knew we could have a positive impact and maybe help other people with COPD have a better quality of life,” noted Morrison, who recently set up his Fiat on display during the 42nd running of the NHRA Supernationals contested in Englishtown, NJ. “Of course the NHRA pro guys have a much larger reach than a small-time guy like me, but we don’t let that deter our resolve. Our team is dedicated to ensuring everybody we come in contact with, who sees the car on display or at the races is made aware of COPD this season. I’m certain that if more racers and fans are aware of COPD, they can learn to live a better quality of life.”

To learn more about the COPD Foundation, please visit their website http://www.copdfoundation.org.