Ronda Passon

Beth Ashworth

Kitty Collins

Roland Romano

Rene Fong

Stacy Schmidt

George Garcia

• The COPD Foundation threw its support behind the AARC’s Capitol Hill Lobby day in this press release picked up by the Washington, DC, Sun. “It is critical that members of Congress and their staffs understand the value of respiratory therapists as experts in the delivery of chronic disease management services for Medicare beneficiaries,” John Walsh, president and co-founder of the COPD Foundation, was quoted as saying.

• Ronda Passon shares the special bond she forged with the first lung transplant patient in her facility in this article in the Grand Rapids, MI, Press. The connection? Passon had a transplant of her own back in 2000 after a lifelong struggle with cystic fibrosis. You can read more about her journey on page 32 of your January issue of AARC Times.

• Beth Ashworth talks about the benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation in this article in the Plattsburgh, NY, Press Republican. “A lot of people with shortness of breath are scared to move, but your muscles become de-conditioned with the less you do,” she was quoted as saying. “It becomes more difficult to breathe with inactivity.”

• Harmonica therapy is making a difference in Kitty Collins’ pulmonary rehab program, and this article and video on the NBC-TV affiliate website out of Austin, TX, shows how. “We try to teach breathing exercises in pulmonary rehab, but we don't know that it's really being done outside of the rehab unit because it's not fun to just sit there and practice breathing,” she was quoted as saying. “So this was a way to do something fun and provide that same benefit.”

• Roland Romano is hosting a program called “Evidence-Based Tools to Quit Smoking” for people in his community, and residents are encouraged to take advantage of it in this article on NorthJersey.com.

• Rene Fong touts the Asthmanology exhibit being set up at a local museum in this article in the Stockton, CA, Record. The program is sponsored by Respiratory Works, a local nonprofit made up of physicians and RTs that’s aimed at providing education about lung health issues.

• Paul Eberle explains why a proposal to add a master’s degree in respiratory therapy at his college is a good idea in this article in the WSU Signpost. “The demand for this is off the radar,” he was quoted as saying. “This is a life-support profession, and if we are advocating for minimum criteria, we are doing the public a great disservice.”

• Stacey Schmidt has just been hired to spearhead the asthma education program at Mid Coast Health Services, and her new position is noted in this article in the Portland, ME, Press Herald.

• George Garcia shares this article in the Vietnamese Community Health newsletter outlining a recent public health screening event that involved area respiratory care students. (Read more about how California RTs are connecting with the Vietnamese community on page 48 of your November 2012 issue of AARC Times.)

• A two hour blackout led to speculation on how a longer time without power would affect the area in this article in the Rawlins, WY, Times, and one important area covered was oxygen suppliers. Deena Neal was the go to person, noting that her company has instructed their customers to go to a local center where their oxygen supplies would be assured by RTs.

• Sharon Varricchio is leading weekly support group meetings for people who want to quit smoking, and this article on delmarvaNow.com out of Maryland encourages people to take advantage of them.