LaBelle Seeks to Inspire Boomers 65 and Older to Get “A New Attitude”
About Adult Vaccinations as Part of Pfizer’s All About Your Boom™
Campaign
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Like many Baby Boomers, award-winning entertainer and music icon Patti
LaBelle takes steps to stay healthy, including exercising and eating
right. Yet, despite being a health-conscious Boomer, LaBelle knows there
are diseases that can take her out of her routine: such as pneumococcal
pneumonia, a potentially serious bacterial lung disease.1
That’s why LaBelle has joined Pfizer Inc to help launch All About
Your Boom™, a public awareness campaign to empower adults 65 and
older to get a new attitude about the risks of pneumococcal pneumonia
and the importance of staying up-to-date on the CDC-recommended
vaccinations.
LaBelle is one of the more than 46.2 million adults age 65 and older in
the U.S. today2 who may be at increased risk for pneumococcal
pneumonia, because as adults age their immune systems naturally weaken.3
Yet, many Boomers may not believe they’re at risk for pneumococcal
pneumonia because they lead energetic lifestyles, feel good and are
still booming.
However, even healthy Boomers are at risk because pneumococcal pneumonia
is a potentially serious and, in some cases, life-threatening illness
that can strike at any time,4 and can stop Boomers from doing
the things they love. Adults 65 and older are at a thirteen times
greater risk of being hospitalized with pneumococcal pneumonia compared
to adults younger than 50.5 Pneumococcal pneumonia can be
spread by coughing, and symptoms can develop quickly and may include
high fever, excessive sweating, shaking chills, coughing, difficulty
breathing, shortness of breath and chest pain. Certain symptoms, such as
cough and fatigue, may last for weeks or longer.6,7
“Like many my age, I have a pretty dynamic lifestyle and still feel
young at heart. I continue to tour, and enjoy traveling and spending
time with my family. I don’t want anything to interfere with doing the
things I love,” LaBelle said. “That’s why I talk to my doctor and ensure
I am up-to-date with my vaccinations. It’s a simple step that can help
protect me from certain illnesses that become a greater risk for Boomers
like me.”
Due to the increased risk, the CDC recommends adults 65 and older
receive pneumococcal vaccination to help prevent pneumococcal disease.4
“To stay healthy, adults 65 and older need to take essential steps like
eating right, getting proper sleep and exercising. It’s also important
to not lose sight of staying up-to-date on CDC-recommended adult
vaccinations,” said Luis Jodar, Ph.D., Chief Medical and Scientific
Affairs Officer, Vaccines, Pfizer. “Pfizer Vaccines is committed to
helping Boomers prevent a serious vaccine-preventable disease –
pneumococcal pneumonia – that can impact their life.”
“Being involved in All About Your Boom™ has given me a new
attitude about the steps I can take to maintain my health at this age,
and I want to encourage others to do the same,” LaBelle said. “I’m
committed to helping others live their lives to the fullest – it’s our
time to enjoy our boom.”
Fulfilling that promise to encourage fellow Boomers to explore new
passions, LaBelle brought together singers 65 and older to sing one of
her classic songs, but Patti and her crew had a surprise for them once
they got on stage. To watch the video, and find out more about the
campaign and pneumococcal pneumonia, go to AllAboutYourBoom.com.
About Pneumococcal Pneumonia
Pneumococcal pneumonia is a potentially serious lung infection that, in
severe cases, can be potentially life-threatening. It is caused by
bacteria that live in the upper respiratory tract and can be spread
through coughing.3 Symptoms can develop quickly and may
include fever, shaking chills and chest pain with difficulty breathing.
Certain symptoms, like cough and fatigue can last for weeks or longer.6,7
Even in otherwise healthy and active adults, the immune system weakens
as you age, increasing the risk for getting serious infections, like
pneumococcal pneumonia.3 In fact, for adults 65 and older,
the risk of being hospitalized after getting pneumococcal pneumonia is
thirteen times greater than adults younger than 50.5
About Patti LaBelle
Entertainer, author and entrepreneur Patti LaBelle, aka the Godmother of
Soul, is best known for countless hits including New Attitude, If
You Only Knew, and Lady Marmalade. What’s even more
impressive: after a career spanning more than 50 years, she’s still
belting out songs and shows no signs of slowing down.
Staying healthy is crucial for Patti—and not just because of her career.
It’s a big part of who she is and helps her do what she wants to do at
this point in her life.
Pfizer Inc: Working together for a healthier world™
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to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive
to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery,
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1 Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Pneumococcal
Disease: Fast Facts. (2015). http://www.cdc.gov/pneumococcal/about/facts.html.
Accessed May 4, 2017.
2 U.S. Census Bureau. Annual Estimates of the Resident
Population for Selected Age Groups by Sex for the United States, States,
Counties, and Puerto Rico Commonwealth and Municipios: April 1, 2010 to
July 1, 2014.
3 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pneumococcal
Disease: Risk Factors & Transmission. http://www.cdc.gov/pneumococcal/about/risk-transmission.html.
Accessed April 27, 2017.
4 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Pneumococcal disease. In: Hamborsky J, Kroger A, Wolfe C, eds.
Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (The Pink
Book). 13th ed. Washington DC: Public Health Foundation; 2015:279-296. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/index.html.
Accessed May 5, 2017.
5 Data on file. Pfizer Inc, New York, NY.
6 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pneumococcal
Disease: Symptoms & Complications. http://www.cdc.gov/pneumococcal/about/symptoms-complications.html.
Accessed April 4, 2017.
7 Mandell G, Bennett J, Dolin R. Mandell, Douglas and
Bennett’s Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 7th ed. Streptococcus
Pneumoniae. 2623-2642.
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Source: Pfizer