U of L and NBA great Darrell Griffith a.k.a. Dr. Dunkenstein had a little good-natured one-on-one game of basketball on WDRB in the Morning.

But he has a message that could help children with asthma.  It's his annual Healthy Hoops Kentucky, which mixes basketball with health screenings and education.

Healthy Hoops-Kentucky Tip-Off

Saturday, September 25, 2013

Moore Traditional High School

6415 Outer Loop

Louisville, KY 40218

10:30am - 4:30PM  

Beginning at 10:30 am, child participants receive a series of important clinical tests performed by nurses and doctors from area practices and universities. After lunch and fun, health-related activities, the day culminates with each child participating in basketball drills with Darrell Griffith, Healthy Hoops-Kentucky honorary co-chair, child wellness advocate, and former University of Louisville and Utah Jazz basketball star.

Data collected from previous participants illustrates how effective the Healthy Hoops-Kentucky program is through the following results:

· 59% decrease in emergency room visits

· 47% decrease in inpatient admissions

· 75% decrease in Intensive Care Unit admissions

· 60% increase in asthma controller medication purchases

· 2% decrease in purchase of rescue medications

*As compared to the same number of Passport children with asthma who did not attend the event.

This event is free, but does require pre-registration. Interested parents should visit www.healthyhoopsky.com  or call (502) 585-8429. Child participants must be between the ages of 7-13 and have asthma. Parents, guardians and siblings are encouraged to attend.

For the sixth consecutive year, the Health Hoops-Kentucky Coalition, a consortium of organizations working to improve children's health, is proud to present the Healthy Hoops-Kentucky Tip-Off event, a day focused on making asthma manageable in the lives of families in Kentucky. 

About Healthy-Hoops-Kentucky Coalition:

The Healthy Hoops-Kentucky Coalition includes founding sponsor, Passport Health Plan, a provider-sponsored, non-profit, community based, Medicaid health care plan that currently serves more than 122,000 members in 16 Kentucky counties. Passport has been operating in Kentucky since 1997. The Plan has been consistently rated as "excellent" by the National Committee for Quality Assurance.