Social Media Race: Danica Patrick vs. Patty Loveless

A public health campaign DRIVE4COPD has kicked off a social media competition led by its celebrity ambassadors Danica Patrick and Patty Loveless. It will see who can get the most people screened for risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) during the two weeks leading up to the Great American Screen Off on November 4, 2011.

In the two-week, head-to-head social media contest, Go Daddy and NASCAR Nationwide Series and IndyCar Driver, Danica Patrick, is teaming with NASCAR to take on Grammy Award-winning country music star Patty Loveless and the Country Music Association (CMA).

CMA is a DRIVE4COPD partnering organization and DRIVE4COPD is the Official Health Initiative of NASCAR. Using Twitter, e-mails to fans, Facebook and other tools at their fingertips, each team will encourage their fans and followers to take the screener, share it with loved ones, and educate others about COPD, which affects an estimated 24 million Americans.

“Last year the Great American Screen Off took on four cities to see where we could get the most people screened. This year we’re going further and taking it nationwide to help find the millions who may be at risk for COPD and don’t know it,” said Patrick, whose grandmother suffered from COPD.

“My friendly competition with Patty is about making a difference and motivating people to take that first step to find out if they may be at risk, and it can be done right in the privacy of their own home.”

The social media competition is part of a series of activities taking place to heighten awareness of COPD. The competition will culminate on November 4, 2011, the official date of the Second Annual Great American Screen Off, which is believed to be the largest single day dedicated to screening for risk and raising awareness of COPD.

For more information, you can visit: http://www.drive4copd.com