Kathie Spang

Sarah Volk

Shawn Alleman

Kim Cannon

Lauri Leadley

• Karen Gregory explains the importance of asthma education in this article in the Shawnee, OK, News-Star, noting that, “We are arming parents and asthma patients with information on how to achieve and maintain asthma control. We want them to have no missed school days and for their families to participate in normal activities with a good quality of life and not have the disease get in the way.” The article celebrated the fact that Governor Mary Fallin had just proclaimed the first Monday in May as Asthma Educator Day.

• Diane Flatland’s students are recognized for completing their RT program in this article in the Pearland, TX, Journal. The students recently participated in a pinning ceremony that also featured awards for their Best Clinical Sites for the year.

• Mother’s Day weekend was especially poignant for Kathie Spang this year, as she and her son Nick both graduated with their associate’s degrees from Lakeland Community College—hers in RT and his in biotechnology science. The story was covered in this article in the News-Herald out of Northern Ohio.

• John Prentice is recognized for receiving the 31st annual Conkey Family Memorial Award in this article in the News-Tribune out of North Central Illinois. The award is given annually to a staff member at his hospital who demonstrates an exemplary level of care and concern for patients.

• Sarah Volk’s plunge off the 27-story theWit Hotel in Chicago to raise awareness of lung health takes center stage in this article in the Northwest Times. Sarah and a colleague rappelled off the building to support the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago. “It was pretty scary,” she was quoted as saying. “But it was fun, and it was worth it.”

• Terry Thompson offers good advice on getting a good night’s sleep in this article in the Milford, DE, Beacon. Among his suggestions: stick to the same sleep schedule every day, and watch what you eat and drink right before bed.

• Julia Hill gives detailed information on what it takes to control asthma in this article in the Casper, WY, Journal, covering all the components of a good Asthma Action Plan and how she works with her patients to help them keep their asthma in control. “Seeing people improve is such a good feeling,” she was quoted as saying.

• The Ohio State University RT program was recently cited by CoARC as the only one of its kind in the nation to receive perfect scores, and Sarah Varekojis and her students, Mel DeMiglio and Casey Leisenheimer, talk about what makes the program so special in this article in the college newspaper, The Lantern. “We attribute a lot of our success to the fact that we have an excellent relationship with OSU Medical Center,” Sarah was quoted as saying.

• The RT program at Victoria College was also in the news for its receipt of a CoARC award. In this article in the Victoria, TX, Advocate, Program Chair Chris Kallus and Clinical Director Ceci Oldmixon credit their small class sizes and ready access to instructors for helping them achieve the honor. “We make sure we engage our students as active participants throughout the entire program starting with classroom instruction, all the way through their clinical requirements,” Ceci was quoted as saying.

• Thomas J. DeFallo was selected as Eastern Gateway Community College’s 2012 Outstanding Alumnus, and as such, addressed the school’s most recent graduating class last month. This article in the Steubenville, OH, Herald-Star notes his many accomplishments, including his role as the founding facilitator for a local Better Breathers’ Club and coordinator of the Eastern Gateway-Tri-State Medical Respiratory Care Preceptor Program.

• Pauline Meridien’s Back in the Saddle Equine Therapy Center is featured in this article on NewHampsire.com. Pauline founded the center after her daughter learned about the use of horses for therapeutic purposes at the University of New Hampshire ten years ago. “She knew how to do the teaching and I had the horses, so it worked out perfectly,” Pauline was quoted as saying. The center has helped everyone from kids with emotional problems to soldiers returning from overseas. A grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation is making it possible for her to reach even more vets today.

• Alpha-1 is in the spotlight in this article in the News-Tribune out of North Central Illinois, as Shawn Alleman’s patient describes what it’s like living with the condition. Shawn emphasizes the importance of pulmonary rehabilitation and medications in slowing the progression of the disease.

• Kim Cannon is featured for helping school children learn hands-free CPR in this article in the Lancaster, OH, Eagle Gazette. “When you first start CPR, you will feel cracks (in the chest) but you’ve got to keep going,” she was quoted as telling one of her young students. “They’ll survive a broken rib.”

• Lauri Leadley explains the importance of ensuring kids get a good night’s sleep even when they’re out of school for the summer in this article on the KTAR radio station website out of Arizona. “Sleep is the main center for restoring the body, so if the growing brain is being sleep deprived you obviously aren’t going to learn,” she was quoted as saying. “It’s very important for parents to keep kids on the same schedule if possible.