County honors Christopher D. Redding Youth Asthma Foundation and Lake County Asthma Van

Lake County read a formal recognition on Aug. 12 honoring Helen Hammond Redding and Michael Redding Sr. for founding the Christopher D. Redding Youth Asthma Foundation and for launching the Lake County Asthma Van, a mobile clinic that provides school-based asthma screenings and treatment. Member Sarah Knoosnick presented the recognition, which described Christopher D. Redding’s athletic achievements and his death from an asthma attack, and commended the foundation’s education, advocacy and service work. Helen Hammond Redding accepted the recognition and told the board the foundation has enrolled 26 schools, scheduled more than 130 clinics and served almost 600 students free of charge through the Lake County Asthma Van; she said the primary communities served are Waukegan, North Chicago and Zion. The foundation’s mobile clinic provides initial diagnosis and treatment at schools and returns every two to three months for follow-up; staff said they can serve enrolled students through age 21. The board thanked the foundation and noted the van’s equipment and community reach. The recognition was read into the minutes and accepted by the board; no funding decision was associated with the item.