Justin Misuraca

Raquel Leon Bouknight

John Hiser

Michael Meska

Henry Oh

John Walsh

Walt Wilson

Andrew Almond

Maria Madden

Cam Twarog

• Justin Misuraca recently ran the New York Marathon to help raise funds for missing children. His impetus? Coworker Raquel Leon Bouknight, whose younger brother was abducted at the age of ten. Their story made the evening news in Denver just prior to the event.  

• Max Pierce’s RT program’s recently received the Distinguished Registered Respiratory Therapists Credentialing Success Award from CoARC, and the accomplishment is covered in this article in the Chattanoogan out of Chattanooga, TN. “We were thrilled to receive the award,” he is quoted as saying.

• Tim Gilmore is celebrating some success at his program too—100% of the students in his most recent graduating class passed the CRT exam, and one student scored 95%, one of the highest national scores in Louisiana. This article on the NBC-TV website in their area covered the achievements.

• Carrie Moffet recently made her seventh Honor Flight to take WWII vets to Washington, DC, to see their memorial, and she explains what goes into planning for the medical needs of these aging vets in this article and video on the NBC-TV website out of Montana.
  

• John Hiser—who is also a veteran of many Honor Flights—is featured in this article in ForthWorth,Texas for accompanying another group of WWII vets to the beaches at Normandy to relive their D-Day experiences. “All of my trips with veterans have changed me,” John was quoted as saying. “We are free today because of what they did. They saved the world.”

• This article in the Southeast Missourian let’s everyone know Tina Kramer’s pulmonary rehabilitation program has been certified by the AACVPR.

• Michael Meska’s first ever Franciscan Alliance Respiratory Symposium was deemed a huge success in this article in the La Porte County Life out of Valparaiso, IN. The conference drew a crowd of 140. Georgene Paulauski, who manages one of the departments in the system, was pleased with the results as well.  

• Henry Oh’s recent Master Teacher of Honor Award is the topic of this article in the Daily Times out of New Mexico. The award recognizes excellence in teaching and is awarded by the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education.

• Jeryl Huckaby and Eric Hoar talk about how they ended up as research coordinators in this article in the Atlanta, GA, Journal Constitution. “Doing this work isn’t the adrenaline rush and instant gratification you get by helping someone breathe at the bedside, but it is rewarding to see how care has progressed and to know that you’ve been a part of it,” Jeryl is quoted as saying.

• Jon Mockbee is running for a local council seat and says one of his goals is to broadcast council meetings online. His candidacy is covered in this article on Cleveland.com.

• John Walsh comments on the COPD Foundation’s upcoming receipt of the ARCF’s Charles H. Hudson Award for Cardiopulmonary Public Health in this article on the Alpha-1 Foundation website. “All of us at the COPD Foundation are honored to receive the Hudson Award,” he is quoted as saying.

• Kimberly Davis offers some great fall and winter tips for COPD patients in this article on her hospital website. “We all look forward to the cooler temperatures and outdoor fun, but the weather can bring unwanted irritants for some people,” she writes.

• Sherry Whiteman talks about the Consortium for Respiratory Care – a joint program operated by two schools in her area -- in this morning show video out of Missouri.

• Walt Wilson’s RT program once again served as a sponsor for the Great Strides Walk to raise money for cystic fibrosis and the event was covered by a CF patient in this article in the Natchez, MS, Democrat.

And we have lots of great stories about National Respiratory Care Week too—

• Andrew Almond is noted for organizing a DRIVE4COPD event at his hospital in this article in the Durham, NC, Herald Sun.
  

• Dave Wilson and his group were planning to offer free Alpha-1 testing and their program was covered in this article in the Journal Gazette & Times-Courier out of Mattoon, IL. “Everyone should be tested for AAT Deficiency,” he was quoted as saying. “This especially includes individuals with emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic bronchitis, or asthma.”

• Chris Kallus shared this article and video in the Victoria, TX, Advocate about a “flash mob” his students conducted on campus to raise awareness of CPR, and RT.

• Earl Howard explains how pulmonary rehabilitation and pulmonary function testing figure into the care of people with chronic lung disease in this article in the Oskalossa, IA, News. “Respiratory Care Week is a great time to focus on lung function,” he was quoted as saying.

• Maria Madden and her colleagues got up early to kick off RC Week during the Manic Monday segment on a local CBS-TV morning show in Baltimore, MD. Click on the link to hear their rendition of the classic song!

• Tony Fry explains some of what his department does in this article on his hospital website. “We are here to assist you when your doctor orders breathing tests or PFT’s to evaluate lung disease,” he was quoted as saying.

• Marybeth Emmerth and Cam Twarog outlined their RC Week plans in this article on their college website. “Respiratory Care Week is one time during the year that we can spotlight these issues and help educate others,” Marybeth was quoted as saying.

• Christopher Trotter shares some background information on RC Week and goes over his RT program’s RC Week plans in this article in the Huntington, WV, News.

• Jackie Cummings touts her pulmonary rehabilitation program’s receipt of AACVPR certification in this article in the Forest Lake, MN, Times, and RC Week is noted at the end of the piece.

• And last but certainly not least, the COPD Foundation highlighted the week in this article on its website.