Helping to kick off our 2017 Congress, the AARC will host its third annual Respiratory Patient Advocacy Summit meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. The Summit will include special guest speakers Claire Wineland and Grace Anne Dorney Koppel. Wineland and Dorney-Koppel will each share their perspective and insight in living with respiratory illness, as well as their hope for the future.
Wineland is an impassioned cystic fibrosis patient, activist, inspirational YouTube personality, speaker, and founder of Claire’s Place Foundation, Inc. (a foundation to assist families living with CF). Claire will express her desire to see terminally ill patients live life to their fullest. Her message is one of hope as she recounts the experiences and wisdom she has gained through her daily struggle of prioritizing happiness over health.
Claire’s Place Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing support to children and families affected by cystic fibrosis. Wineland has delivered her message at leading events across the globe, top universities, and companies.
Dorney-Koppel will discuss her 16-year journey with COPD. She will also focus on the hope provided by the newly announced COPD National Action Plan. According to Dorney-Koppel, “COPD is an epidemic taking our breath away and most Americans are unaware that we are 30 million and die at a rate of 150,000 a year.”
The Dorney-Koppel Foundation has co-founded nine Pulmonary or Pulmonary Cardio Rehabilitation Centers in areas of high COPD prevalence that had no access to rehabilitation. There should be 10 Grace Anne Dorney Rehabilitation Clinics by year’s end. Dorney-Koppel is also a member of the Board of Directors of the COPD Foundation, where she has served as President of that Board and currently chairs the Advocacy and Public Policy Committee.
Email newsroom@aarc.org with questions or comments, we’d love to hear from you.
Heather Willden is the Director of Governance and Strategic Initiatives for the AARC where she works with state affiliates as the HOD liaison. She also manages DEI efforts and strategic initiatives. Connect with her about these topics by email, AARConnect or LinkedIn. When she's not working, you can find her podcasting with her husband, exploring new hiking trails, photographing, and spending time with her family.
