Our Mission:

 In summer of 1994, Alessandra and her twin sister, Adrianna were born three months early to Anne Marie and Lawrence Del Principe.  Shortly after being released from the neonatal center, both Alessandra and Adrianna were diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Anne Marie and Lawrence devoted all of their love and attention to making sure that their baby girls had every possible chance to live a normal and fulfilling life. Alessandra and her sister led wonderful fulfilling lives and met the men whom they planned to be their forever partners.

 May 1st was Adrianna's long-awaited wedding to Josh with Alessandra as a maid of honor. The room was bright with sunlight beaming through the glass ceiling high above. The conservatory was the perfect place for this celebration. The room was filled with hanging arrangements of exotic flowers. The chandelier alone had made the choice easy. After the ceremony had concluded and family photographs were taken, we convened for the festive cocktail hour. The speeches were given, and dancing soon followed. Alessandra danced with her father and then with her future fiancé, Jeff.

Shortly after this, Alessandra suffered a severe asthma attack. Several guests who are medical professionals tried desperately to help her breathe. The EMT arrived and worked feverishly to sustain her breathing. She was transported to the hospital. While Lawrence and Jeff were by her side, family and friends kept Adrianna and Josh focused on their wedding celebration. Unfortunately, Alessandra passed away early the next morning, at the age of twenty-seven. Alessandra’s dreams and aspirations were taken away.

 Alessandra had a smile that could light up a room and was always helping those in need. In her memory, the "A Breath for Alessandra" charity was created to continue her legacy of helping others,especially those suffering from asthma and other conditions.
 

Facts About Asthma*

Asthma affects more than 25 million Americans. It is one of the most common and costly diseases. It is a chronic disease that causes your airways to become inflamed, making it hard to breathe. There is no cure for asthma. The best way to manage asthma is to avoid triggers, take medications to prevent symptoms and prepare to treat asthma episodes if they occur.

A trigger is something you are sensitive to that makes your airways become inflamed. This causes swelling, mucous production and narrowing in your airways. Common asthma triggers are pollen, chemicals, extreme weather changes, smoke, dust mites, stress and exercise.

How Many People Die from Asthma?

On average, ten Americans die from asthma each day. In 2019, 3,524 people died from asthma. Many of these deaths are avoidable with proper treatment and care. Adults are five times more likely to die from asthma than children. Women are more likely to die from asthma than men, and boys are more likely than girls. Black Americans are nearly three times more likely to die from asthma than white Americans.

What Are the Different Types of Asthma Medicines and Treatments?

There are four types of asthma medicines and treatments:

Quick-relief medicines
Controller medicines
Combination of quick-relief and controller medicines
Biologics
 The difference between these asthma treatments can be confusing. It is important to understand what each treatment does and how they help your asthma. Learning how to use each correctly can help keep your asthma well-controlled. Always take your medicines as directed by your doctor and follow your Asthma Action Plan.

 *Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. https://www.aafa.org/asthma. aspx. (Retrieved January 23 2022)

 https://delprin.wixsite.com/ abreathforalessandra

 Thank You for reading about our charity and mission.

Sincerely ,

Lawrence Del Principe

908-803-6757