CHEST and the City of Chicago Announce October 19 as “Love Your Lungs Day"
October 8, 2025
Glenview, Illinois–The American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) is proud to announce the official recognition of October 19, 2025, as “Love Your Lungs Day” in Chicago, IL. This special day, designated in partnership with Chicago and Mayor Brandon Johnson, will take place during CHEST’s 90th Anniversary Annual Meeting, held October 19 to 22, 2025, at McCormick Place.
The mayoral proclamation highlights the critical importance of respiratory health in alignment with Healthy Lung Month and underscores CHEST’s mission of advancing patient care through education, advocacy, and innovation in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine.
“Lung health is an urgent issue,” said Johnson in the official proclamation. “Across the United States, more than 70 million people live with asthma, COPD, or another chronic lung illness. By shining a spotlight on respiratory health, Chicago stands alongside CHEST in raising awareness, promoting equity, and supporting health care providers and their patients.”
“This proclamation demonstrates Chicago’s commitment to health and wellness,” said John Howington, MD, MBA, FCCP, CHEST President. “It sends a powerful message of support to the thousands of clinicians visiting the city for CHEST 2025, giving them confidence that their work to advance lung health is valued and embraced by the community.”
- In the US, more than 70 million people live with chronic lung illnesses such as asthma or COPD.
- In Cook County alone, nearly 70,000 children and 390,000 adults suffer from asthma, while more than 250,000 residents live with COPD.
- Black communities are disproportionately affected, experiencing higher rates of asthma, COPD, and sarcoidosis.
- Lung cancer remains the deadliest cancer, responsible for more annual deaths than breast, pancreatic, and prostate cancers combined.
“We could not be more excited to celebrate ‘Love Your Lungs Day’ with our members at the CHEST Annual Meeting,” said Robert Musacchio, PhD, CEO of CHEST, “The day will be a symbol of gratitude for the thousands of clinicians who dedicate their lives to health care, and it will also serve as a reminder to the public of the urgent need for awareness, prevention, and early detection of lung disease. With this city-wide recognition, we hope to spread awareness of the state of lung health in the country and right here in Cook County.”
CHEST is the leading professional association in innovative chest medicine, with more than 18,000 members in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. The CHEST Annual Meeting attracts more than 6,000 health care professionals seeking to advance their knowledge by hearing the latest research, learning about cutting-edge developments in the field, and interacting with the larger clinical community.
Founded in 1935, with early headquarters in Chicago, CHEST made the mayoral request to honor its longstanding history with the city. “Love Your Lungs Day” will help to welcome the thousands of CHEST members—both national and international—gathering in Chicago to advance patient care and celebrate a 90-year legacy. "Love Your Lungs®" is a registered trademark of the American College of Chest Physicians.
View the formal mayoral letter below.
About the American College of Chest Physicians
The American College of Chest Physicians® (CHEST) is the global leader in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chest diseases. Its mission is to champion the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chest diseases through education, communication, and research. It serves as an essential connection to clinical knowledge and resources for its 18,000+ members from around the world who provide patient care in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. For information about the American College of Chest Physicians and its family of journals, including the flagship journal CHEST®, visit chestnet.org.
VIEW THE LETTER »