COPD Awareness Month: Helping Our Community Breathe Easier 

Understanding COPD

COPD is a long-term lung condition that makes it hard to breathe. It includes illnesses like emphysema and chronic bronchitis, and is often caused by smoking, long-term exposure to pollutants, or untreated respiratory infections. More than 16 million Americans have been diagnosed, and many more may not know they have it.

Access to Cleaner Air and Better Care

Our clinic provides free air purifiers to qualifying Santa Clara County residents with COPD, asthma, or other respiratory conditions. This small but meaningful resource helps patients reduce exposure to irritants and breathe more comfortably at home.

COPD can make daily life feel exhausting. Our team works closely with patients to improve their quality of life—through education, treatment, and simple tools like air purifiers that make a real difference.
— Kalok Lau, Social Service Manager

Support Through Every Breath

Our programs focus on prevention, treatment, and lifestyle support:

  • Tobacco Cessation Program: Helps patients quit smoking with one-on-one counseling, medication assistance, and relapse prevention.

  • Behavioral Health Services: Supports patients managing anxiety or depression related to chronic illness.

  • Telehealth Visits: Provide convenient access to care from home.

Here are some practical tips for managing COPD and boosting your quality of life:

  • Avoid smoke, pollution, and strong scents.

  • Take medications as prescribed and attend checkups.

  • Stay active to keep your lungs and muscles strong.

  • Practice breathing exercises daily.

Every breath matters. At Bay Area Community Health, we’re here to help our patients live fully, breathe freely, and feel supported along the way.
— Kalok Lau, Social Service Manager

To learn more, contact: info.tobacco@bach.health or info.IBH@bach.health or visit our website.

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Behind the Numbers: Meeting the Health Needs of Fremont’s Unhoused Residents

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Bay Area Community Health Relocates Administration Office to McKee Health Clinic