The Hawaii Medical Service Association has distributed a calendar to members and doctors that is both a work of art and a source of information on controlling asthma. Calendar can help
control asthmaChildren design art for an HMSA
calendar to help 30,000 members
handle their asthmaStar-Bulletin staff
Nearly 250 children, ages 4 to 12, submitted work in a poster contest for HMSA's 2003 Asthma CareConnection calendar.
Thirteen winners were selected -- one for each month and one for the cover -- with drawings depicting the theme "Controlling My Asthma Means I Can ..."
Karissa Higa, 12, of Pearl City, is one of 13 winners in HMSA's Asthma CareConnection calendar contest.
Winning artists from the Big Island were Jayson Robinson, 10, of Holualoa; Lacy Deniz, 11, of Captain Cook; Kaydee Rapozo, 5, and Brandi Rapozo, 10, of Hilo; and Sara Taylor, 10, from Kailua-Kona.
Winners from Oahu were Karissa Higa, 12, of Pearl City; Khelsy Kaawaloa, 4, of Waianae; Shanna Lum, 6, of Ewa Beach; Lance Kishi, 10, Celina Garces, 11, and Kacie Oshiro, 7, all of Mililani; Khristine Brunn, 10, of Aiea; and Jiwon Lee, 9, of Honolulu.
Invitations to participate in the poster contest were sent to HMSA members ages 4 to 12, as well as to public schools statewide, the American Lung Association and physicians.
Kaydee Rapozo, 5, of Hilo, is a winner in HMSA's contest. The children's drawings reflect activities they can do when their asthma is under control.
The calendar is designed as an education tool to help people learn about asthma, what causes it and how to reduce exposure to elements that trigger or exacerbate it. It was distributed to about 30,000 HMSA members with asthma and 700 doctors who treat them.
Different topics are highlighted every month on how to manage asthma better.
An Asthma Control Plan is included that doctors can use to help patients track their progress and deal with three stages of asthma: green, where all signs are good; yellow, indicating an asthma episode may occur without proper action; and red, with symptoms warning that a doctor should be contacted right away.
HMSA Senior Vice President Cliff Cisco said the children's artwork was outstanding this year, with more than twice as many entries as the year before.
"The overall message is a simple one: The more you learn about asthma and what triggers it, the better able you will be to control it," he said.
HMSA's Asthma CareConnection program, which began in 1997, provides participants with educational materials, assistance from health professionals and other services to better manage their condition.
