Educational Events
In effort to bridge the knowledge gaps present in patient and physician education, the COPD Foundation sponsored several educational events around the nation in effort to spread awareness about COPD diagnosis, management, self-management, and health and nutrition wellness. To read about past events for medical professionals, visit the Continuing Medical Education section. And to keep up to date on future medical professional and patient educational events, continually check the Upcoming Events section.
Celebrate Life’s Moments: Share Your COPD Story
On October 24th, 2008, the Celebrate Life’s Moments: Share Your COPD Story campaign was launched in Chicago, IL. The first of a 4-city tour, the COPD Foundation cosponsored this event with StoryCorps—a non-profit storyteller organization. This program aimed to promote a positive image and encouraging message to individuals with COPD by individuals with COPD. Each venue had two panelists (both individuals with COPD), a local physician, a COPD Foundation representative, and a professional storyteller.
The event began with an introduction by a storyteller, followed by the two patient panelists telling their story about living with (and succeeding!) the challenges with a COPD diagnosis. After their presentation, a local physician and Foundation representative spoke about the “shame and blame” stigma surrounding a COPD diagnosis and the need for COPD patients to come together and change that negative public perception. At the end of the panel discussion, the storyteller turned to the audience and gave them tips on how they could effectively tell their story to spread the inspiration to others also affected by the disease.
Food and beverages were provided at each event. After the panel discussions were over, all audience members were invited into the next room to tell their stories in front of a video camera. Many patients sat down in front of the camera to tell their stories, which will be edited by the COPD Foundation and posted on the website and other online sites, to launch a separate campaign titled Faces of COPD. (Keep checking back to the COPD Foundation website to see the posted videos!)
The other three events took place in Dallas on November 12th, Miami on November 18th, and Washington D.C. on December 3rd. To read more about the “Share Your COPD Story” campaign, click here.
COPD 2007: Inspiration through Education
October 27, 2007, New York City—This one-day event featured sessions for both medical professionals and individuals living with COPD. The patient education session had several topics that were given by prominent physicians in the field, as well as advocates in the COPD patient community. Dr. Gerard Turino welcomed everyone to the session, and the first talk was given by Dr. Anne Webster who spoke about how important it is to keep both the mind and body healthy. Her talk was followed by Dr. Neil Schacter who gave tips on staying healthy in a home environment. There were poster presentations, and then Dr. James Kiley of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute spoke about the steps being conducted by the National Institutes of Health to address the burden of COPD. Dr. Fernando Martinez closed the session by speaking about the future of COPD research.
There were also exhibitors present at the event, including industry partners and several patient organizations, all of whom distributed information about COPD. Event attendees received bags with program information, COPD Foundation brochures, and a copy of the COPD Digest. All of the attendees were encouraged to enroll in the COPD Research Registry.
A PDF of the Patient Program Agenda can be downloaded here: Inspiration through Education – Patient Agenda.pdf.
Education Days
COPD Education Days are all-day events held in major U.S. cities for COPD patients and their families. The events are comprised of educational seminars covering various topics of interest to the COPD patient, including medical treatments, oxygen, and pulmonary rehabilitation. In 2006, the COPD Foundation joined with the Alpha-1 Foundation to hold six Education Days in several cities across the U.S. Beginning in March of 2006, Education Days were held in Tucson, AZ, Charleston, SC, Ormond Beach, FL, Boston, MA, Pittsburgh, PA, and New York City. Several clinical research centers that are also members of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s (NHLBI’s) COPD clinical research network program had co-sponsoring participation in the Education Day Series. The patient track of the Education Day Series covered topics such as the causes of emphysema, medical treatments, disease management, oxygen, nicotine addiction, exercise, and pulmonary rehabilitation. Patient empowerment through knowledge is the central focus of the Education Day Series. These Education Days continued throughout 2007 and 2009 in several cities across the nation.
Back: COPD Digest