Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by chest tightness, shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing. With asthma, a blockage of airflow in and out of the lungs occurs from muscle squeezing, swelling and excess mucous. Between 12-15 million people in the United States have asthma, including up to 5 million children.

Physicians who are not specialists in this disease may mistake its symptoms for an infection, unaware that the underlying problem is asthma.

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that is characterized by high blood glucose and either insufficient or ineffective insulin. 5.9% of the population in the United States has diabetes, and diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in our country. Diabetes is a chronic disease without a cure, however, with proper management and treatment, diabetics can live a normal, healthy lives.