Patti Labelle And Pfizer Work Together To Educate Baby Boomers About The Risk Of Pneumococcal Pneumonia

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 eight 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^™

At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of health care products. Our global portfolio includes medicines and vaccines as well as many of the world's best-known consumer health care products. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world's premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 150 years, Pfizer has worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. We routinely post information that may be important to investors on our website at www.pfizer.com. In addition, to learn more, please visit us on www.pfizer.com and follow us on Twitter at @Pfizer and @Pfizer_News, LinkedIn, YouTube, and like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/Pfizer.

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.