7 Celebrities Affected By COPD, More than 12 million Americans have been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, and another 12 million have it but don't know it. It's now the third leading cause of death in America, yet many people are unaware of COPD and its devastating effect on the lungs. After NASCAR and IndyCar driver Danica Patrick's grandmother died of COPD at age 61, Patrick pledged to help raise awareness about the disease. Patrick's grandmother was a smoker, and smoking is the leading cause of COPD, though not the only one. Patrick has pledged to lead a healthy lifestyle and never smoke to reduce her risk of COPD. See what other celebrities have to say about the condition and what their famous COPD stories can mean for other patients.
Dean Martin
Iconic actor Dean Martin, a member of the "Rat Pack," was often seen with both a cigarette and drink in hand. No doubt this COPD celeb's heavy smoking led to his development of emphysema. "Emphysema is one of two main conditions that COPD encompasses," said pulmonologist Barry Make, MD, a professor of medicine in pulmonary sciences and critical care medicine at the University of Colorado Denver and director of respiratory care at National Jewish Medical and Research Center. Chronic bronchitis is the other condition affecting COPD patients, he added. Not every smoker gets COPD or emphysema, Dr. Make said. But celebrities with COPD like Martin show what can happen when they do. Martin died from complications of emphysema when he was 78.
Loni Anderson
Actress Loni Anderson is another celebrity spokesperson for COPD patients. Her dad had emphysema, and both her parents had chronic bronchitis and cancer related to their smoking. When the National Lung Health Education Program wanted a celebrity to raise awareness about COPD, Anderson was eager to sign up. She told Ability magazine how important it was for her to be involved in an awareness campaign. Both Anderson and her sister have been diagnosed with second-hand smoke syndrome. Pulmonologist Fernando Martinez, MD, a professor in the department of internal medicine and director of pulmonary diagnostic services at the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor, said exposure to second-hand smoke is a risk factor for COPD.
Christy Turlington
Supermodel Christy Turlington is among the youngest celebrities with COPD. At the height of her modeling career, when she was only 31, Turlington was diagnosed with early-stage emphysema. By then, she had been smoking for more than 15 years. COPD patients are most commonly people age 40 and older, Dr. Martinez said. But as COPD celebs like Turlington indicate, COPD can develop in people, especially smokers, at a younger age.
Johnny Carson
Like Dean Martin, Johnny Carson was a celebrity with COPD who lived in an era when smoking was glamorous. Smoking led many rich and famous to develop COPD. The host of the "Tonight Show" died of emphysema when he was 79. Carson supposedly told his brother shortly before his death it was "those damn cigarettes." According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, nine out of 10 COPD patient deaths are related to smoking.
King Edward VII
King Edward VII of England, who became king at 59 after the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, was a lifelong smoker. He was said to have smoked 12 cigars and 20 cigarettes a day. History books show he suffered from severe chronic bronchitis, one of the two forms of COPD patients may have. No doubt his chronic bronchitis contributed to his death 10 years after he ascended the thrown. Today, many COPD patients in the United Kingdom are treated at the hospital that bears his name, King Edward VII Hospital in Windsor, England.
Leonard Bernstein
Virtuoso Leonard Bernstein was also among celebrities with COPD. Like many famous COPD names, he was a lifelong smoker. The longtime conductor of the New York Philharmonic and composer of award-winning scores including "West Side Story" died at 72 from a heart attack caused by progressive lung failure. Smoking cessation can stop COPD progression, but researchers in Sweden found that some COPD patients find it impossible to quit. Famous or not, COPD patients were most successful when they had internal motivation.
Chris Schenkel
Also on the list of COPD celebrities is Christopher Schenkel, who was known in the sports broadcasting world for his baritone voice. He announced sporting events for CBS and NBC, but was probably best known for his coverage on ABC of college football, baseball, basketball, tennis, boxing, Olympics, and bowling. A contemporary of famed sportscaster Howard Cosell, Schenkel had emphysema and died from it in 2005 at the age of 82.
Dean Martin
Iconic actor Dean Martin, a member of the "Rat Pack," was often seen with both a cigarette and drink in hand. No doubt this COPD celeb's heavy smoking led to his development of emphysema. "Emphysema is one of two main conditions that COPD encompasses," said pulmonologist Barry Make, MD, a professor of medicine in pulmonary sciences and critical care medicine at the University of Colorado Denver and director of respiratory care at National Jewish Medical and Research Center. Chronic bronchitis is the other condition affecting COPD patients, he added. Not every smoker gets COPD or emphysema, Dr. Make said. But celebrities with COPD like Martin show what can happen when they do. Martin died from complications of emphysema when he was 78.
Loni Anderson
Actress Loni Anderson is another celebrity spokesperson for COPD patients. Her dad had emphysema, and both her parents had chronic bronchitis and cancer related to their smoking. When the National Lung Health Education Program wanted a celebrity to raise awareness about COPD, Anderson was eager to sign up. She told Ability magazine how important it was for her to be involved in an awareness campaign. Both Anderson and her sister have been diagnosed with second-hand smoke syndrome. Pulmonologist Fernando Martinez, MD, a professor in the department of internal medicine and director of pulmonary diagnostic services at the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor, said exposure to second-hand smoke is a risk factor for COPD.
Christy Turlington
Supermodel Christy Turlington is among the youngest celebrities with COPD. At the height of her modeling career, when she was only 31, Turlington was diagnosed with early-stage emphysema. By then, she had been smoking for more than 15 years. COPD patients are most commonly people age 40 and older, Dr. Martinez said. But as COPD celebs like Turlington indicate, COPD can develop in people, especially smokers, at a younger age.
Johnny Carson
Like Dean Martin, Johnny Carson was a celebrity with COPD who lived in an era when smoking was glamorous. Smoking led many rich and famous to develop COPD. The host of the "Tonight Show" died of emphysema when he was 79. Carson supposedly told his brother shortly before his death it was "those damn cigarettes." According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, nine out of 10 COPD patient deaths are related to smoking.
King Edward VII
King Edward VII of England, who became king at 59 after the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, was a lifelong smoker. He was said to have smoked 12 cigars and 20 cigarettes a day. History books show he suffered from severe chronic bronchitis, one of the two forms of COPD patients may have. No doubt his chronic bronchitis contributed to his death 10 years after he ascended the thrown. Today, many COPD patients in the United Kingdom are treated at the hospital that bears his name, King Edward VII Hospital in Windsor, England.
Leonard Bernstein
Virtuoso Leonard Bernstein was also among celebrities with COPD. Like many famous COPD names, he was a lifelong smoker. The longtime conductor of the New York Philharmonic and composer of award-winning scores including "West Side Story" died at 72 from a heart attack caused by progressive lung failure. Smoking cessation can stop COPD progression, but researchers in Sweden found that some COPD patients find it impossible to quit. Famous or not, COPD patients were most successful when they had internal motivation.
Chris Schenkel
Also on the list of COPD celebrities is Christopher Schenkel, who was known in the sports broadcasting world for his baritone voice. He announced sporting events for CBS and NBC, but was probably best known for his coverage on ABC of college football, baseball, basketball, tennis, boxing, Olympics, and bowling. A contemporary of famed sportscaster Howard Cosell, Schenkel had emphysema and died from it in 2005 at the age of 82.
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