Delegate: Alliance of Sleep Apnea Partners
Affiliation: Alliance of Sleep Apnea Partners
Short Bio: The Alliance of Sleep Apnea Partners (ASAP) is a U.S. based patient-oriented non-profit advocacy organization. ASAP was established in 2018 by a group of sleep apnea patients to elevate their voices and share lived experiences to bring attention to the existing needs of sleep apnea patients. ASAP’s mission is to promote and advocate for screening, diagnosis, treatment, and management of optimal health of those who suffer from sleep apnea. We believe that patient-centered care comes first, and partnerships and collaborations are key to our success to advance sleep apnea care.
Activity: We plan to launch a social media campaign called “Global Awareness of Sleep Apnea” in recognition of World Sleep Day. ASAP has partnered with the Italian Sleep Apnea Association and four other international patient groups to bring attention to the existing global burden of sleep apnea. Two years in a row now, we have declared the Wednesday prior to the World Sleep Day as a day dedicated to raising global awareness of sleep apnea. This year we declare March 12, 2025 as the day to celebrate the GASP campaign. Our slogan – Life is one breath away! – is aimed to bring attention to the seriousness associated with this medical condition. The GASP campaign aims to remove the stigma associated with sleep apnea but also strives to educate the world on the importance of diagnosis, treatment and management of sleep as this condition is often under treated. Worldwide an estimated one billion adults and 500 million children suffer from sleep apnea but the number of those who are diagnosed and treated are less than 5%. Our ultimate goal is to raise awareness of sleep apnea as a chronic condition with significant health and economic burden and by encouraging diagnosis and treatment we can hope to reduce the burden as well as prevent other chronic illnesses.
Location: Ellicott City, Maryland
Date of Activity: March 12, 2025
Submitted by: Monica Mallampalli
