In recognition of World COPD Awareness Day, Wed., Nov. 20, St. Mary Medical Center is holding from 1 to 4 pm a FREE community educational health fair and seminar. The event places a spotlight on the signs and symptoms of COPD with a 1 pm presentation by Pulmonologist Gaurav Kumar, MD, on staff at St. Mary Medical Center. In addition, those in attendance will have access to a variety of free screenings including a COPD screening, spirometry testing and demonstrations on exercise and breathing techniques. Other support and resource personnel will be on hand to provide information about respiratory medications, oxygen therapy and smoking cessation.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, (COPD) is a medical condition that affects millions of people worldwide each year and includes diseases such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and asthma.
“COPD is often a difficult disease to manage, but we are committed to helping patients and their families control the disease at home and educate them on the resources that are available for treatment,” said Gina Harris, Chief Quality Care Navigator at St. Mary Medical Center. “By the year 2020, projections indicate that COPD will rank fifth worldwide in terms of burden of disease, according to a study published by the World Bank/World Health Organization. We wanted to take the opportunity of World COPD Awareness Day to help educate the public about the best ways to treat and prevent COPD,” Harris said.
St. Mary Medical Center offers ongoing classes and programs aimed at helping patients recover from and prevent COPD. The free World COPD Awareness event takes place in the Auditorium and conference rooms at the hospital, 1500 S. Lake Park Avenue, Hobart, accessible through the West Entrance. To register, call toll-free 1-866-836-3477 or 219-836-3477. For more information, visit www.comhs.org.