Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week highlights benefits for people with COPD
Comprehensive programs help people breathe better, improve quality of life
Miami (March 9, 2026) - The COPD Foundation is joining other lung health champions in raising awareness of the importance of pulmonary rehabilitation and the dedication of the health care professionals who deliver these specialized programs during Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week, observed March 8-14, 2026.
Pulmonary rehabilitation is one of the most effective non-pharmacologic therapies available for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis, and other chronic respiratory conditions, yet programs remain significantly underused.
Pulmonary rehabilitation combines supervised exercise training, health education, and breathing techniques to help people with chronic lung disease improve their strength, stamina, and overall quality of life.
"Pulmonary rehabilitation taught me how to breathe better, how to use my muscles better, and how to use my medications," said Karen Deitemeyer, a lung health champion from Florida who is living with COPD. "It was a wonderful experience, and one that I urge everybody [with a lung condition] to look into if you haven't already been referred to pulmonary rehab. So please, ask your doctor, because here it is, 25 years [after my COPD diagnosis], and I am alive and well, and I just celebrated my 80th birthday, which I never thought I would do."
Benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation include:
- Decreased shortness of breath.
- Increased exercise capacity.
- Increased energy and stamina.
- Improved feeling of well-being.
- Decreased feelings of depression and anxiety.
"Pulmonary rehabilitation is one of the all-time great interventions in lung disease. It helps people understand their symptoms, be more active, and know that they are not alone on the journey," said Mike Hess, MPH, RRT, RPFT, Senior Director of Advocacy and Regulatory Affairs at the COPD Foundation. "It's one-stop shopping for better breathing."
Lung health champions can join the COPD Foundation in recognizing Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week and learn more by:
The COPD Foundation is also urging Congress to consider a bill (H.R.783/S.248) to permanently cover virtual pulmonary rehabilitation programs administered through a hospital under Medicare.
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About the COPD Foundation
The COPD Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help millions of people live longer and healthier lives by advancing research, advocacy, and awareness to stop COPD, bronchiectasis, and NTM lung disease. The Foundation does this through scientific research, education, advocacy, and awareness to prevent disease, slow progression, and find a cure. For more information, visit copdfoundation.org, or follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Contact:
Brittany Irish
805-465-2497
mediarelations@copdfoundation.org