If you have been around the COPD community for long, you have heard the names of Bill Clark, John Walsh, Jean Rommes, Jan Cotton, Val Chang, Karen Deitemeyer, John Linnell, Kandy Blankartz, Edna Fiore, and Linda Watson. (I know that I am forgetting people, and I apologize for that...)
Point is, do you know what all of these people have in common? Well, a couple of things, actually. They all are extremely active in the COPD Foundation, EFFORTS, the American Lung Association, and a bunch of other groups such as Facebook pages. They travel to many conferences in the USA and abroad, they speak to large groups about dealing with lung disease, about spreading awareness, about maintaining a decent lifestyle despite a chronic disease.
They also all have COPD. Just like other lung disease patients, they deal with their medications and treatments, they use oxygen as prescribed, not just when it's convenient, and they suffer from shortness of breath.
So how are these people able to manage their lifestyles? In my opinion, it comes down to desire, a dedication to exercise, an incredibly positive attitude, and an remarkable degree of selflessness.
Thank God we have them! Thanks from Mary and I for all that they do!