AARC Announces Keynote SpeakerGrace Anne Dorney Koppel to Deliver Keynote Address at AARC Congress 2011
Dallas, TX (October 6, 2011)
Grace Anne Dorney Koppel will deliver the keynote address at the opening ceremonies of the 57th International Respiratory Convention & Exhibition in Tampa , FL , on Nov. 5.
A COPD patient and spokesperson for the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's Learn More Breathe Better campaign, Koppel will share her own journey with COPD from her diagnosis in 2001 when doctors told her she might have only a few more years to live, through her determination to learn more about the condition and how pulmonary rehabilitation gave her a second lease on life.
She'll also cover her advocacy efforts within the COPD community and what she believes must be done to raise awareness of the condition and support increased funding for research and treatment.
In addition to her work with the Learn More Breathe Better campaign, Koppel funded the Grace Ann Dorney Pulmonary & Cardiac Rehabilitation Center at St. Mary's Hospital in Leonardtown , MD , in early 2010. The center is the first of what she and her husband, former ABC Nightline anchor Ted Koppel, hope will be several around the country aimed at bringing pulmonary rehabilitation to an underserved community.
A graduate of Fordham University , Stanford University , and Georgetown Law, Koppel is a practicing attorney in Potomac, MD. She also serves as business manager for her husband.
AARC Congress 2011 will take place from Nov. 5-8 and is expected to attract more than 5,000 respiratory therapists and other health care professionals from across the country and around the world who will gather for presentations on the latest in respiratory care, original research in 20 Open Forums, and the largest Exhibit Hall in the profession.
For more information about the meeting, visit www.AARC.Org .
About the AARC
The American Association for Respiratory Care, headquartered in Dallas , is a professional association of respiratory therapists that focuses primarily on respiratory therapy education and research. The organization's goals are to ensure that respiratory patients receive safe and effective care from qualified professionals as well as supporting respiratory health care providers. The association continues to advocate on behalf of pulmonary patients for appropriate access to respiratory services provided by qualified professionals. Further info rmation about the AARC and how to become a respiratory therapist are available at www.AARC.org .
Contact: Beth Binkley
972-243-2272
binkley@aarc.org
