We start off the new year with a crackerjack story in our
January issue about a patient who would not quit trying until she got a
diagnosis for her lung disease. “Despite my recitations of classic symptoms of
COPD to my family doctor, I was not tested by spirometry nor was I referred to
another physician for spirometry,” said AARC Congress Keynote Speaker Grace
Anne Dorney Koppel. Ms. Dorney Koppel has spent the last 10 years working hard
to stay well with COPD and furthering the cause of COPD patients in the halls
of Congress and in the NHLBI’s “Learn More Breathe Better” Campaign.
She said in her keynote speech, “I am here because we who
have COPD owe you — the respiratory
therapists — our medical professionals who make significant differences in our
lives.
Ms. Dorney Koppel kicked off a successful AARC Congress in
Tampa, and AARC Times readers will find
complete coverage of the conference in this issue. The coverage includes
information about all awardees, including the 2011 Zenith Award winners: Covidien,
Draeger, Philips Respironics, Masimo, and CareFusion.
Happy New Year from the AARC Times staff! You can view the January issue online now.