Katrina Relief Update

October 10, 2005

Talk About Sleep thanks our membership for their generous donations to the Katrina Relief Effort. Over 150 pieces of equipment have been sent to the distribution center in Chicago. This included flow generators, masks, tubing and other related accessories. In addition, several TAS members representing sleep labs from across the country also donated new and used equipment. Talk About Sleep, Inc. has donated over $2,000 in new equipment.

Tracy Nasca, Senior Vice President of Talk About Sleep, has also received the support from CPAP manufacturers who donated new equipment to be distributed by the American Red Cross.

"It warms my heart to see how the entire sleep community has joined hands to work together in order to meet the needs of sleep disorder patients whose lives were so abruptly changed by the devastation of the recent hurricanes."

"The American Sleep Medicine Foundation is pleased to be working with Talk About Sleep to solicit donations of CPAPs and CPAP accessories", reports David Barrett, Director, Membership Operations & Government Relations for the Academy of Sleep Medicine . "To date, the ASMF has received more than 630 total pieces of equipment; approximately 150 of those pieces were a result of the cooperation with Talk About Sleep. By the end of September, nearly 500 pieces of equipment were distributed to Hurricane Katrina victims through AASM accredited sleep centers." David also reported that TAS members who live nearby their distribution offices in the Chicago suburbs personally stopped by to drop off their donations.

Donate Your Used Equipment

The ASMF is still accepting new, refurbished, and used equipment for hurricane evacuees through sleep centers serving as redistribution points.  To donate your equipment, please send to:

American Sleep Medicine Foundation
One Westbrook Corporate Center
Suite 920
Westchester , IL 60154

Or contact the AASM at (708) 492-0930.  

Cash Donations

Talk About Sleep is also working in conjunction with the American Sleep Apnea Association to assist with the distribution of needed equipment for apnea patients.  Ed Grandi, Executive Director of the ASAA said, "We welcome the opportunity to work with Talk About Sleep to help sleep apnea patients in the Gulf Coast region."  The ASAA has received over $400 in donations to date, and continutes to receive cash donations through their web site www.sleepapnea.org and those funds will go directly to serve the needs of sleep apnea patients affected by Katrina.