COPD Patients Breathe Better By Celebrating Life’s Moments Leading COPD Advocacy Group Conducts National Storytelling Campaign (NAPSA)—More than 12.1 mil- lion people have been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pul- monary disease (COPD)—a lung condition that includes chronic bronchitis, emphysema or both— and many are now being empowered to speak out about their expe- rience living with the disease through a national campaign, Celebrate Life’s Moments: Share Your COPD Story. The campaign, launched by the COPD Founda- tion—a leading advocacy group for people living with COPD—is help- ing to put patients in the spotlight by providing an opportunity for them to share an experience, memory or story with their friends, family members andothers. As part of the campaign, the COPD Foundation conducted a survey that reveals that when it comes to understanding the emotional impact of the disease, patients and their family mem- A new campaign is encouraging those with COPD to speak out and sharetheir experience with friends and family members. with their doctors and loved ones,” said John W. Walsh, President of the COPD Foundation. “People with COPD needto talk with both family and doctors about their experience, and help people in bers, friends and doctors may not be seeing eye to eye. Survey results demonstrate a need for improved communication between patients their lives understand what they are going through.” Life’s Moments: Share Your COPD Story program was created to encourage people to talk about toms of the disease, which include shortness of breath, cough (some- andtheir loved ones. The Celebrate COPD and help them recognize that they are not defined by their disease. “Because many patients may feel alone or not feel like themselves after their diagnosis, it’s no surprise that they could face breakdowns in communication The national survey of COPD patients and physicians reveals. . . e 51 percentof patients say that their loved ones don’t understand whatit is like to live with the condition, and 30 percent of patients reportfeeling that they cannot speak with theirfriends and family members abouttheir condition. More than half (53 percent) of physicians believe that patients experience guilt following their diagnosis, but less than one-third (28 percent) of patients report actually feeling guilty, with “relief that there was an explanation for breathing problems” being the most common emotional response fo their diagnosis (40 percent). Approximately fouroutof five doctors (83 percent) spendless than one quarter oftheir timetalking with patients about their emotionalhealth related to COPD. COPDis characterized by an jected by the National Heart, lung function. Over time, symp- (NHLBD to becomethe third-leading fatal illness by the year 2020. Patients, caregivers, physicians, accelerated, progressive loss of times with phlegm or mucus) and Lung, and Blood Institute family members and friends can wheezing, may restrict a patient’s ability to perform normal activi- visit www.ShareYourCOPDStory. most common risk factor for patients share their personal stories. The program was made possible through support from Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceu- ties of daily living. Smoking is the COPDcases worldwide. Currently, the disease ranks as a leading cause of disability and death in the United States, and is pro- com to learn more about COPD and the campaign, and to hear ticals, Inc. and Pfizer Inc.
