Las Vegas,
Nevada
As a respiratory therapist and State Captain for Nevada, I hope to accomplish advocating and educating the public, elected officials, as well as HCP's on COPD. I am dedicated to being a voice for education and awareness for COPD. This voice can pertain to the patient and their families perspective and span to healthcare providers and the legislative branches that can contribute to positive changes for COPD awareness and treatment advances.
As a COPD advocate, I have participated in health fairs or community events to promote COPD awareness, sent letters to my members of Congress about COPD, met with elected officials to discuss COPD, and have signed up for COPD360Social.
As a State Captain, I am interested in connecting others in the COPD community to the resources available so they can live healthier, fuller lives as well as raising awareness by participating in health fairs and community events. I also would like to participate and promote research opportunities to help find a cure and recruit new State Captains and volunteers.
My early career was performed in a fairly large community hospital. Over those years I was able to work with a large population of COPD patients. I grew to know my patients very well, and worked with them through hospitalization, exacerbations and many in pulmonary rehab. My proudest COPD moments would come when the patient, and many times the family would come to me and express their gratitude for working with , educating and showing a caring and helpful spirit to them and/or their family member suffering with COPD. It is the string of these helpful moments that make me feel proud to be involved with those patients and their family.
My inspiration to share is, "Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value" -Albert Einstein