Teen hopes asthma fundraiser will be breath of fresh air

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHUNDAK FAMILY Thirteen-year-old Michael Chundak Jr. hands out a flier about his asthma fundraiser to Fords resident Joe Nigro. WOODBRIDGE — Thirteen-year-old Michael Chundak Jr. has taken his experience as an asthma sufferer and formed it into his eighth-grade Confirmation project.

Chundak, who will enter the eighth grade at Our Lady of Peace School in Fords in September, has teamed up with the Asthma Center of Excellence at the New Jersey Medical School at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) to hold a fundraiser to benefit the Asthma Center's The Children's RESPIRA Educational Program. The fundraiser will be held 6-9 p.m. Aug. 15 at the Woodbridge Bowling Alley, 346 Main St.

The RESPIRA program provides care to young asthma patients and further assists the center's multidisciplinary approach to asthma care, prevention and research to generally increase public awareness of asthma.

"I have had asthma since I was 4 years old," Chundak said. "I thought this was a good way to help other people with asthma."

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHUNDAK FAMILY Michael Chundak Jr. received a township proclamation on Aug. 5 for his efforts and leadership as youth chairperson of the 2008 fundraising event to assist the Asthma Center of Excellence. Chundak stands with Ward 2 Councilman and council President Richard Dalina and Dr. Elizabeth Ketterlinus, vice president for development at UMDNJ. Chundak received a chance to talk at one of the doctors' meetings at UMDNJ about his experience with asthma.

Asthma, according to the U.S. National Institute of Health's Web site, is caused by inflammation in the airways. When an asthma attack occurs, the muscles surrounding the airways become tight and the lining of the air passages swell. This reduces the amount of air that can pass through, and can lead to wheezing sounds.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, asthma accounts for 14 million lost days of school annually and is the third ranking cause of hospitalization among those younger than 15.

Chundak has a mild to moderate activity induced type of asthma.

"There really is no name to his asthma," said Chundak's mother, Angela.

"Many things can trigger his asthma … we just need to be careful and observant and keep on top of the symptoms. He is sensitive to ragweed, which is here all year-round. The fall and spring season is the heightened season for ragweed, so we start Michael on his medication just to take preventive measures. Education is the key to living with asthma."

Angela said she never lets her son use asthma as a crutch. "Both my children [AnnMarie, 16, and Michael] are very active. Michael plays left field in the baseball league and bowls," she said. "The last time he had his biggest asthma attack was when he was in fifth grade. We [focus] on the difference between having a bad day because of asthma and solely just having a bad day. Yes, everyone has their own trials and tribulations, but that does not mean a school should send a child home because of asthma. Our Lady of Peace School has worked with Michael and his asthma."

Angela said she remembers that she and her husband had to run out onto the field at one of her son's baseball games to administer treatment to him when he was in fourth grade.

"We were watching him and he had his hands on his knees … we said, 'Oh no … time out,' " she said.

One of the requirements for Michael's Confirmation project is 20 hours of community service.

"I volunteered as a 'buddy' for [Woodbridge] Buddy Ball bowling, baseball and swimming, and I sorted books and unpacked boxes at my school," said Michael, who added that he would continue volunteering as a buddy for Buddy Ball.

The soon-to-be eighth-grader started formulating ideas for his project in the middle of July.

"I was deciding what I wanted to do, and it was between fundraising for asthma or premature babies, because I was born premature," he said.

Angela said her son's ultimate decision made her laugh.

"He said, 'I think I'm going to help childrenwith asthma, because premature babies can't bowl,' " she said. "I had to laugh, because he didn't realize that the people coming to the fundraiser weren't going to be premature babies, they were going to be like him."

Over the past few weeks, Michael has been handing out fliers and talking to business owners about his fundraiser.

Angela said she is impressed with The Children's RESPIRA Educational Program.

"I wish we'd had this when Michael was younger," she said. "We have learned on our own what will trigger his asthma, and we will accommodate. For example, when we bought this home in Fords, it had all carpet floors. Carpet triggers the asthma, so now we have all hardwood floors."

Dr. Evelyn Montalvo Stanton, director of the RESPIRA Education Program and assistant professor of pediatrics at UMDNJ, established the program in 2006 with a $332,000 grant from the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, and it initially served families in Essex and Union counties.

Angela said she was intrigued by a press release by UMDNJ in 2007 in which Stanton stated that "inner-city children are among the most affected [by asthma], with the highest prevalence rates in Latino children, particularly those of Puerto Rican descent."

"I'm actually of half-Spanish descent," she said. Michael received a proclamation for his efforts from the township on Aug. 5.

Admission to the fundraiser is $15 per person, which includes three hours of open bowling, a slice of pizza and soda, and a shoe rental. Participants will get a chance to win an MP3 player.

In addition, Radio Disney will broadcast live from the event, and Mayor John E. Mc- Cormac will make an appearance.

People who would like to make donations, can make them out to FUMDNJ, 10 S Louis St., Fords, NJ 08863.

For more information about The Children's RESPIRA Education Program, visit http://njms.umdnj.edu.