Spreading the Word About the Role of Respiratory Therapists
Respiratory therapists working in their communities raise the profile, visibility and perception of the entire profession. We salute the following RTs for their efforts in advancing the profession in the public eye.
Name State Activity Bill Gronke NY Volunteers vacation time to travel to places like the Dominican Republic with Heart Care International, a group that recruits doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists, and respiratory therapists to help perform open heart surgery on children. See the story Hearts in Their Hands. Denise Hoey NY Participating in many community oriented education programs and health fairs, providing information on asthma and smoking and providing pulmonary function screenings. Deb Fox, Karen Schell, RT students from Washburn University, Kansas Society Chapter Presidents and Board of Directors KS Held 5th Annual Legislative Day. Ayfie Gayret Yuksel Turkey Wrote first Turkish pulmonary rehabilitation book for patient education purposes. Yasser Masoudi Saudi Arabia Started first home care program for mechanically ventilated patients. Sindee Karpel, Dean Soto, Neil Rodia, Sharon Merdian, Vanvalor Parsard, Paul Hagans NY Working with the New York City Department of Health Childhood Asthma Initiative on "Kids with Asthma Can Do Anything Days." Pam Smith, Tina Siddon, Venita Greene KY Started asthma clinic, school system asthma education, and an annual asthma camp. Arturo Jimenez PR Serves on the Board and committees of the American Lung Association in Puerto Rico. Cindy Bowman MA Participates in Boston Urban Asthma Coalition Tom Gray AR Recognized by the Arkansas legislature for rendering aid to a 10-year-old boy. Tim Buckley, Michael Gammie, and many other AZ RTs AZ COPD community screenings at 18 Tucson-area Walgreens Marta Tingdale TX Texas Society for Respiratory Care visits Austin TX for legislative days Patti Joyner TN Emailed news media bout Tobacco Settlement Funds in TN. Was on TV news telling a personal story about how smoking-cessation programs might have saved her brother. Karen Milikowski, Frank Salvatore CT Connecticut media campaign to save a school and raise awareness of the profession Jerry Bridgers, Les Sayles, and many other MS RTs MS The Mississippi for Respiratory Care has legislative information days at the capitol to increase visibility of the profession among legislators. Pass out calendars, letters, brochures to legislators. Deb Runge ND Pulmonary stress test on ND Governor Ed Shafer covered on local news. Shane Blake, Bruce Coulliard, NE PACT members NE Event showcasing legislators with most "hot air" during legislative day in RC Week. Jill Hueckel NY Starting a choir for pulmonary rehab patients as therapy, since the breathing exercises typically prescribed for pulmonary patients are the same techniques used to raise one's voice in song. Nancy Lorance, Jana Stafford, Toney Dake, Monica Ahumada, Jodi Appa, Cole Bryant, Julie Emery, Michele Gould, Wendy Lawson, Jennifer Mercer, Roger Nieman, Kim Pinkston, Cheri Wood OK Work with Asthma Coalition of Oklahoma to do asthma screenings and education in grade schools. Denice Stingl WI Rendering aid to a shopper in a local supermarket who had fallen ill. Tell Us What You're Doing
Help us add to our list of RTs working to raise awareness of the role and responsibilities of the respiratory therapist.
