Former NFL Players Join to Tackle Sleep Apnea

Former NFL Players Warren Moon and Nesby Glasgow Visit Tacoma in Sleep Apnea Awareness Campaign. This event is free to the public and will be offering free Home Sleep tests for attendees.

Dr. Steve Marinkovich, DDS, ABDSM, is joining the national “Tackle Sleep Apnea” campaign in efforts to spread awareness on sleep apnea, the health dangers and possible treatment options. The Campaign will be holding its fourth event, in a series of events, that will be taking place at LeMay, America’s Car Museum, on September 26. The event will begin at 7 p.m. and is free to the public. The museum is located at 2702 E. “D” St. Sleep Group Solutions, a dental sleep medicine education and technology company, will be offering 25 free Home Sleep Tests to attendees, to confirm if sleep apnea is present and offer treatment options available.

“Tackle Sleep Apnea” is sponsored by The Pro-Players Health Alliance (PPHA), an organization dedicated to helping former NFL players, through providing testing and treatment options for those who suffer from sleep apnea. In addition, the PPHA is dedicated to integrating education and raising sleep apnea awareness, in a fun and memorable way. “ We are excited to shed light on treatment options, spread awareness and give back to football players who over the years, have been a part of our lives,” President of PPHA, David Gergen said.

Former NFL players, Warren Moon and Nesby Glasgow will be joining Dr. Marinkovich and experts, to discuss their experience with sleep apnea. “The Tackle Sleep Apnea campaign has created quite a buzz with the retired NFL guys. I am looking forward to lending a hand to this campaign to boost the awareness of the dangers of sleep apnea,” Moon said. Moon and Glasgow will be available following the event, for autographs and photo opportunities.

In addition to raising awareness, Dr. Marinkovich suffered from sleep apnea, before receiving treatment through oral appliance therapy (OAT). “I have worn and oral appliance for the past 15 years and that has helped to successfully treat my sleep apnea,” Marinkovich said.

OAT is a treatment option that will be discussed during the event. Dentists offer OAT through creating a custom fabricated mouth piece that is similar to a retainer. The mouth piece is custom fit and works by repositioning the jaw and pushing the tongue forward or by restraining the tongue to keep the airway open.

As part of the event, Sleep Group Solutions is offering Tacoma residents the opportunity to qualify for a free in-home sleep test, if they feel that they might be at risk for having sleep apnea. A free in-home sleep test is an alternative to spending the night in a sleep lab and gives an individual the opportunity to record breathing patterns in the comfort of his/her home bed.

“Many people are not aware of the health dangers that stem from sleep apnea and it isn’t a priority to most individuals. We are trying to spread awareness and help the community at the same time. We are trying to save as many lives as possible,” Gergen said.

To find out more information or to register for the event visit SleepWellNW.com or call 253-474-3223. For more information about the campaign and PPHA visit http://proplayersleep.org. Visit http://www.SleepTest.com to take an online questionnaire and find out if you are at risk for having sleep apnea.

“David Gergen turned me onto the idea of becoming involved with this campaign. I am excited to be a part of it,” Marinkovich said “I feel it is a wonderful way to help retired football players and raise sleep apnea awareness to this life threatening and largely undiagnosed condition.”

Dr. Marinkovich graduated from the University of Washington Dental School and continues his dental education every year. He keeps up with all of the latest treatments in dentistry to better serve his patients. He presently serves part time on the clinical faculty at the University of Washington School of Dentistry in Restorative Dentistry, and is accredited by the Certification Board of the Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine.

The “Tackle Sleep Apnea” campaign has recently been featured on FOX Minneapolis and Seattle, ESPN Radio Seattle, Sports Radio KJR and on CBS and FOX Online.