Meet Your COPD Foundation Captains!

COPD Foundation Captains are volunteers with COPD, caregivers, friends and family members or healthcare providers who use their contacts and talents and partner with the COPD Foundation to serve as state and community leaders.

Captains promote the importance of becoming a part of the COPD community. They work to spread COPD awareness in their state and local areas, mentor fellow COPD community members, and participate in online and in-person grassroots advocacy and community building activities focused on health policy issues that are important to those who have COPD. If you are interested in joining our group of volunteers, click here.

If you'd like to speak with a COPD Foundation Captain directly, please email statecaptains@copdfoundation.org and we will connect you with the Captain in your area of interest.


Patricia J. Owens

Patricia J. Owens Profile Photo Tucson, Arizona


As a patient advocate and State Captain for Arizona, I hope to accomplish bringing awareness of COPD and help to not only my community but to all that will listen.

As a COPD advocate, I have sent a letter to my members of Congress about COPD, and I have spoken to my family and friends about COPD. I am also a member of a support group, and I have signed up for COPD360SOCIAL.

As a State Captain, I am interested in working with state, local, and national officials to improve COPD policy, and writing about COPD to share my story and help raise awareness. I would also like to connect others in the COPD community to the resources available so they can live healthier, fuller lives, and recruit new State Captains and volunteers.

My proudest COPD moment has been when people ask me about COPD, and I can answer their questions and lead them to the place where they can get information they want and need.

My inspiration to share is, “Bless God and He will Bless you.”

More about me: I have had asthma my whole life. I am a 76-year-old mother of 6 children, grandmother & great grandmother. I went on disability in 1998 due to COPD. I was on oxygen 24/7 for 15 years, Up until a little over a year ago, I was in the hospital with pneumonia for 2 weeks & on a respirator for 4 days, but with the help of God & knowledge I have received through research & exercise I am no longer on it 24/7. I do still use it periodically when I push myself to hard & I get scared. I have learned so much from the COPD Foundation. I believe attitude and faith in our Lord is everything. You have to keep moving and not just setting around and thinking you’re going to die. It is hard but life is not easy… You can do it!

 



COPD Foundation State Captain Program Informational Video

The COPD Foundation is looking for new State Captains to join our community to be champions for promoting COPD awareness, improving quality of life for those with COPD, to participate in research opportunities, policy, and much more. Email statecaptains@copdfoundation.org for questions and to start the onboarding process today!