On Friday, May 22, 2026, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., the Arts4All Foundation and NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst joined together with the Queens community to commemorate National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month and address the public health crisis of the rapid increase of respiratory, immune, and lung health conditions, focusing on the rise of asthma rates in Queens. Recent reporting by the New York State Department of Health and NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst indicates that Queens is currently facing a disproportionate burden of asthma; in particular, neighborhoods such as Elmhurst, Astoria, Long Island City, Jackson Heights, Flushing, Rego Park, Jamaica, St. Albans, Hollis, and the Rockaways have among the highest concentrations of asthma hospitalizations, asthma-related deaths, asthma school-related absences, and overall poor pulmonary health outcomes.
May is National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month in the United States, established in 1984 during the peak season for asthma and allergy triggers to educate, support, and provide awareness on chronic respiratory and immune conditions. The Arts4All Foundation organized a National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month program at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, one of the healthcare sites with the highest asthma rates in New York, to educate the public about the rise of asthma and allergic diseases, reduce risk factors and symptoms, and promote effective clinical treatment and sustainable solutions to combat the increased rates of asthma due to environmental and health factors for Queens communities to flourish.
“I am honored to join Dr. Sumita SenGupta and the Arts4All Foundation at this important asthma awareness program. Our Pulmonology Medicine team is committed to delivering the highest-quality care, and that includes taking on some of the most complex respiratory health challenges of our state, which is the rise in chronic asthma,” said Alina Moran, MPA, FACHE, FAB, Chief Executive Officer of NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst. “I thank Dr. Alfredo Astua and our incredible Pulmonary Medicine team for providing life-saving treatments, researching and advancing medical practices, advocating for health equity, and educating our community on asthma care, triggers, treatment, and prevention.”
During the National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month program, the Arts4All Foundation launched the Universal Declaration of Asthma Rights, a document outlining the asthma care rights in the areas of medical rights, financial rights, education rights, environmental protection, worker’s rights, disability rights, housing rights, social welfare, justice, and equality. The Universal Declaration of Asthma Rights was signed in person by members of the Queens community, healthcare officials, and staff at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, and now has thousands of signatures from people online calling for the document to be enacted into law.
CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst Alina Moran accepting certificate for Elmhurst Hospital’s excellence in asthma care with Dr. Sumita SenGupta.