On Friday, May 22, 2026, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., the Arts4All Foundation commemorated National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month and launched the Universal Declaration of Asthma Rights, a document outlining the asthma care rights at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst. The program addressed the rapid increase of respiratory, immune, and lung health conditions, focusing on the rise of asthma rates in Queens.
Chief Executive Officer of NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst Alina Moran, said, “I am honored to join Dr. Sumita SenGupta and the Arts4All Foundation at this important asthma awareness program. Our Pulmonology Medicine team is committed to delivering the highest-quality care, and that includes taking on some of the most complex respiratory health challenges of our state, which is the rise in chronic asthma.” She also thanked the Pulmonary Medicine team and its leader Dr. Alfredo Astua.
Dr. SenGupta, the founder of the Arts4All Foundation, organizer of the program, and author of the declaration, said, “Every year between 400,000 and 460,000 lives worldwide are taken by asthma; that is 11 Americans per day and roughly 299 New Yorkers annually, in which the overwhelming majority of these deaths are preventable. Premature deaths caused by manageable illnesses are unacceptable and an infringement on our most basic human rights.”
The “Universal Declaration of Asthma Rights” SenGupta said, was a first-of-its-kind and would help strengthen health, environmental, educational, and housing protections for communities overburdened by heavy environmental conditions contributing to the disease.
Dr. Astua noted that as asthma rates continue to rise in New York at an unprecedented rate, those most adversely impacted are children and seniors. About 203,000 Queens residents are diagnosed with active asthma, in which young children have the highest rates of hospitalization and respiratory complications. Black, Latino, and Asian aging populations are three times more likely to die from an asthma-related death. Expanding access to premier, data-driven, integrated medical care was his department’s driving force, Dr. Astua added.
Dr. Purvi Parikh, MD, FACAAI, FACP, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Center for Asthma and Allergy, delivered a presentation on the rise of asthma rates in New York. She addressed the meeting via a videocall.
Dr. Parikh urged local lawmakers to provide systematic solutions, policies, and resources to address the rise in asthma rates across New York. “Nearly 2 million New Yorkers have asthma, a number that continues to grow at an alarming rate due to an increase in heavy traffic, high air pollution, industrial zoning patterns, and indoor allergens,” all of which disproportionately impact the health, safety, and well-being of people residing and working in congested and highly dense communities, she said.
According to Dr. Parikh, “The after-effects of the pandemic coupled with the changes in traffic patterns and higher rates of congestion, especially in diverse neighborhoods in the outer boroughs, are directly correlated with the rise in asthma rates.”
“Queens now has one of the highest asthma rates in New York State, and asthma is the leading cause of school absenteeism, the third leading cause of hospitalization in children under age 15, and heavily under-diagnosed and under-treated for the elderly,” Dr. Parikh noted.
Ivonne Sanchez, a 9/11 retired EMT from the FDNY and breast cancer survivor, said, “Long-term lung inflammation, asthma, and respiratory conditions do not run in my family, and I was not born with asthma, but I, like many of my fellow 9/11 first responders, suffer from chronic asthma and developed cancer due to the heightened exposure to World Trade Center dust without proper equipment to protect our lungs and upper airways. Air quality matters, and the damage done is irreversible.”
First Responders need advanced safety equipment to mitigate physical, chemical, and biological hazards, she pointed out, thanking Dr. SenGupta and NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst “for spreading awareness on the immediate health and safety needs in emergency safety management and the critical health issues of first responders.”
Patients with moderate-to-severe asthma have a higher risk of contracting severe diseases and prolonged upper respiratory infections, including COVID-19.
Five-year old Ambika Devi Sengupta, granddaughter of Dr. SenGupta, born during the pandemic who has moderate asthma and was diagnosed with prolonged Covid-19 for 81 days said, “Living with asthma can be hard, but you are not alone because I have asthma too, and you can get better with help. When I get sick, I am not well for longer than other kids, and if I run or play too fast, I can feel super tired, and at night while I am sleeping, I find it hard to breathe. That is why it is important to learn how to take your medicine to get the help you need to be better. With my medicine I can still play and be me, so you can too.”
The Arts4All Foundation provided 500 free gifts that included nasal strips, allergy-friendly treats, anxiety-support toys and stickers, and educational material for identifying triggers and managing asthma symptoms.
Hundreds of freshly cooked lunches were donated by Gyanu Thapa, the owner of Gorkhali Restaurant, and Rekha Shrestha, the owner of Sunrise Karahi House. Desserts were prepared by Shree Devi SenGupta, Dr. SenGupta’s daughter.
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