Starkville,
MS
As a respiratory therapist and the newest state captain from Mississippi, I hope to accomplish increasing the public' awareness of COPD and the resources that are available to help them control their symptoms and disease progression Unfortunately, too many COPDers don't even know they have the disease. They are unaware of what they can do to control their symptoms and manage their disease progression. I hope to change that and make them aware of all the resources that are available to them.
As a COPD advocate,I have written many articles for local newspapers, and magazines. I have appeared on local television and participated in local health fairs and community events. I have sent letters to my members of Congress. I have joined COPD360Social, participated in the COPD Foundations Praxis section and have spoken to Mississippi health leaders about COPD. I have spoken to other health care providers numerous times at educational seminars.
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, and writing about COPD to share my story and help raise awareness. I would also like to raise awareness by participating in health fairs and community events, and work with pharmaceutical company(s) to improve access to medications for those that can't afford them.
My proudest COPD moment has been having a patient tell me about how well they are doing since our last meeting.
My inspiration to share is, “Anything worth doing is worth doing well, or it isn't worth doing at all”
More about me, “ I and my wife Laurie spend a lot of time doting on our granddaughter Emily and try to pass on the old values and wisdom taught me by my dad ( Work for what you want, and be true to your word). In our free time we work on our mini farm raising, training, and showing horses and rescuing stray and abandoned cats and dogs, rehabilitating them, and finally re-homing them”